By Dan Ambrose: Joe Joyce has called out former WBO heavyweight champion Joseph Parker to face him in a battle of #1 vs. #2 in the World Boxing Organization’s rankings. Joyce (13-0, 12 KOs) is willing to put his ranking on the line against Parker (29-2, 22 KOs).
It’s a bold move on Joyce’s part because he’s in a position to get a world title shot against WBO champion Anthony Joshua soon, possibly next year if everything goes smoothly.
Parker, 29, needs to step it up because he’s been taking on exclusively soft opposition for the last three years since suffering consecutive losses to Anthony Joshua and Dillian Whyte in 2018.
Will Parker accept Joyce’s challenge?
Recently, Parker defeated 37-year-old journeyman Dereck Chisora by a 12 round split decision on May 1st, but he looked like a shell of his former self in that fight.
Parker’s hand speed was gone, and he fought in an overly timid manner, which suggests that he’s lost his belief that he can take a punch.
Yo what’s happening @joeboxerparker, let’s dance bro! Number 1 Vs Number 2?#THEJUGGERNAUT 👊🏾 pic.twitter.com/ZJ0eNfiLdP
— Joe Joyce (@JoeJoyceBoxing) September 7, 2021
If the money is good, you’d like to think that Parker will accept the challenge by Joyce because it’s time that he starts fighting elite opposition once again.
Parker has had three years of fighting mediocre opposition since his back-to-back losses to Joshua and Whyte. It’s time that Parker begins fighting quality guys again.
The way Parker has been matched since 2018, it’s almost like he’d given up on the idea of fighting quality fighters. Instead, he’s going for the easy paydays fights. In other words, Parker is just looking for easy paydays.
By now, Parker should have fought guys like Joyce, Daniel Dubois, Frank Sanchez, Felip Hrgovic, Tony Yoka, Efe Ajagba, Luis Ortiz, and a rematch with Andy Ruiz Jr.
Parker’s fights since 2018:
- Dereck Chisora
- Junior Fa
- Shawndell Terrell Winters
- Alex Leapai
- Alexander Flores
It’s doubtful that Parker will accept a risky fight with the 2016 Olympic silver medalist Joyce because he’s expected to face Chisora in a rematch. That’s a guaranteed payday for Parker, and the only risk for him is if he fights scared like last time, he could get beaten if he fails to let his hands go.
Joyce has been looking great
Chisora is someone that Parker should easily beat because Delboy’s stamina looked horrible in their fight like he was gassed after the first round.
Dereck was so exhausted, and it’s hard to understand why Parker didn’t attempt to capitalize on that. Parker didn’t capitalize on Chisora’s poor stamina because he looked like he was too afraid.
Joyce has been looking good lately, beating Carlos Takam and Daniel Dubois by knockout. The last time Joyce was taken the distance was in 2019 when he beat Bryant Jennings by a 12 round unanimous decision.