By Charles Brun: Joe Joyce vs. Joseph Parker will be fighting for the interim WBO heavyweight title on September 24th at the AO Arena in Manchester, England.
The World Boxing Organization has decided to put their interim heavyweight belt on the line for the Joyce-Parker fight, which means that the winner could be elevated to full WBO champion if the belt gets vacated after IBF/WBC/WBO champ Oleksandr Usyk faces WBC champ Tyson Fury.
It’s possible that the Fury-Usyk winner will vacate the belts and retire from the sport. However, if Fury chooses to stick around for a fight against Anthony Joshua, he could hold onto the WBO belt, but NOT if it means he has to face the Joyce vs. Parker winner.
“I’m fighting Joseph Parker, which is #1 and #2 in the WBO. And I’m #2 vs. #3 in the WBC. We’re next in line to fight for those belts,” said Joe Joyce to Thaboxingvoice.
“The next best fight out there, and it’s really exciting. I’m looking to beat Joseph Parker and then go on and fight Usyk or maybe Fury for all the belts.
“I always thought Fury, being the bigger man, he can switch southpaw, and he’s got a longer reach,” Joyce said when asked who wins the Tyson Fury vs. Oleksandr Usyk fight.
“Usyk against Joshua, he really proved it that he can mix it with the big guys. It’s a different fight. He already had Joshua worked out going in. Fury is a lot more unpredictable, and he has that fast jab.
“His defensive capabilities as well. He’ll lean on him [Usyk] and make it more untidy for Usyk. He’ll then start roughing him up, ruffle his feathers and get the work in.
“I’m excited to see that fight and who comes out on top of that because that would be who I would want to be taking on. Hopefully, he’ll [Fury] lace up the gloves and get back in there.
“Hopefully, it’ll be for the belts, but it’s still a big fight without the belts. I can’t wait to get back in there and show you what I’m made of. I want to become world champion too.
“I’m going to fight Parker in September and hopefully have a fight in between while I wait for things to sort themselves out. March is definitely when I’m looking to capture one of them belts,” said Joyce.
