Joseph Parker's promoter says Hughie Fury defence could head to Singapore
Saturday 4 February 2017 14:10, UK
Joseph Parker could take his world heavyweight title defence against Hughie Fury to Singapore, his promoter has claimed.
Duco Events, the promotional company behind the WBO titlist, won a purse bid with an offer of $3,000,011 meaning they are responsible for organising the location - but have now revealed it may not be in their home country of New Zealand.
"We've had an enquiry out of Singapore about taking it to a casino," Duco director David Higgins said. "In Manchester, Fury's hometown, the fans buy tickets big.
We would like to hold it [in New Zealand]. So our job over the coming two week is to see if we can make it work.
"The fight won't necessarily be in New Zealand. When you prepare a purse bid, you have to put a proposed date and location. But now our job is see if we can make it stack up here.
"But we would like to hold it here. So our job over the coming two weeks is to see if we can make it work.
"Winning the purse bid you hold all the cards, losing the purse bid you lose all the cards, so the stakes were very high."
Higgins also shed light on the possibility of Parker fighting on the island of Samoa, the nation of his heritage.
"If the Samoan government stepped up with a big, big investment it would be like the Thrilla in Manila," Higgins said.
"There would be thousands of visitors into Samoa. That could happen one day, maybe not now. It would take a serious amount of money but the return on the investment would be substantial."
Unbeaten Parker won the WBO belt in his most recent fight against Andy Ruiz Jr in New Zealand, and has boxed 18 of his 22 fights in his home country. He fought in Samoa for the sole time a year ago, beating Jason Bergman.
