By Jeff Aranow: IBF mandatory challenger Joseph Parker (19-0, 16 KOs) plans on having fixed his defensive issues by the time he steps inside the ring to face IBF heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua (16-0, 16 KOs) in the near future. Parker beat Carlos Takam by a 12 round unanimous decision last Saturday night to earn the IBF mandatory spot to face Joshua. However, Parker also showed a lot of defensive flaws as well as stamina problems that made his fight against the 35-year-old Takam harder than it should have been. But given that the fight was seen as a 50-50 affair going in, it’s quite an accomplishment that the 24-year-old Parker won. He doesn’t have much experience in the pro ranks, and putting him in with a skilled pro like Takam was a major risk by his management.
Before the 6’4” Parker challenges Joshua for his IBF title, he’ll be facing 40-year-old Australian Solomon Haumono on July 21 in Christchurch, New Zealand. That is supposed to be a very winnable fight for Parker, but it could also be a tough one too because Haumono is ranked #12 by the World Boxing Association. He’s got power, and he could give Parker fits if he’s able to land his shots. Takam didn’t look great, but when he was throwing his shots, he was able to connect frequently because of Parker’s wide open defense.
By Scott Gilfoid: #2 WBA middleweight contender Chris Eubank Jr. (22-1, 17 KOs) has inked with Matchroom Sport in a new promotional contract. The addition of the 26-year-old Eubank Jr. to Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom stable is turning that promotional company into a giant. 
By Rishad Marquardt: The heavyweight division in boxing has, historically speaking, been the premier division within the sport, the class by which boxing itself and its popularity has been defined by throughout past eras. Thoroughbred boxing fans will be the first to come forward in protest to this kind of flawed account and point in the direction of all the other great prizefighters in all of the other divisions at any given point in history. 
By Scott Gilfoid: Normally it’s kind of frowned upon for fighters to discuss what took place during sparring sessions, which is why it seems very strange that IBF heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua has decided to start talking about a sparring session that took place between him and Tyson Fury many years ago when Joshua was just an amateur and Fury a young pro in 2009. 
By Scott Gilfoid: Showtime executive vice president of sports Stephen Espinoza believes they’ll be putting on a fight between WBC heavyweight champion Deontay “Bronze Bomber” Wilder (36-0, 35 KOs) and IBF champion Anthony Joshua (16-0, 16 KOs) by next year in 2017. Espinoza thinks the Wilder vs. Joshua fight can take place in the United States in New York or Las Vegas. 
By Jeff Aranow: Last week, IBF heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua (16-0, 16 KOs) and his promoter Eddie Hearn revealed that they had signed a multi-fight deal with Showtime Sports to have his fights televised in the United States. 
(Credit: Matchroom Sport) LONDON (May 4, 2016) – Undefeated IBF Heavyweight World Champion Anthony Joshua and unbeaten American challenger Dominic Breazeale had an intense face-to-face meeting on Wednesday before a contingent of major sports media outlets in London to formally announce their June 25 showdown. The two were joined by SHOWTIME Sports Executive Vice President & General Manager Stephen Espinoza and Matchroom Sports President Eddie Hearn, as the executives announced Joshua’s new exclusive U.S. television deal. All four participants later took part on a teleconference with U.S. media.
By Scott Gilfoid: Dominic Breazeale (17-0, 15 KOs) believes he won round one in his meeting with IBF heavyweight champion Antony Joshua (16-0, 16 KOs) today in London ahead of their fight next month on June 25. The two fighters had a couple of face offs, and during the first one, Joshua got upset at some of the things Breazeale said and with the way he was crowding him. 
by Scott Gilfoid: American challenger Dominic Breazeale (17-0, 15 KOs) had IBF heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua (16-0, 16 KOs) about to blow his top earlier Wednesday during their face off in London to promote their June 25 fight on Sky Box Office at the O2 Arena in London.