"I'm healthy, I'm fit, I'm ready to go. I know I can smash him, I know I can beat him"
Monday 18 November 2019 06:27, UK
Joseph Parker says a final decision on the Derek Chisora fight will be made this week - and wants to 'smash' the Brit's lingering hopes of a world-title shot.
The New Zealander has called for a rescheduled clash with Chisora after a suspected spider bite forced him to withdraw from last month's O2 showdown and Parker will hold talks with promoter Eddie Hearn to confirm his next heavyweight fight.
Chisora instead stopped David Price inside four rounds and manager David Haye has turned his attention to an alternative fight with Oleksandr Usyk, the WBO mandatory challenger, but Parker raised doubts about whether this is a likely route to a world title for the Londoner.
Parker, who is ranked No 4 by the WBO, told Sky Sports: "He hasn't won a world title, Chisora, so I think they are trying to look for the fastest and the best way of getting there, and they think Usyk is the best way of getting to a world title.
"But firstly it doesn't make sense, because he's not ranked and there's a lot of guys ranked before him. I'm not sure why they want that fight?
"Obviously the fight was locked in for us both and I couldn't control what happened with the illness, but I want to reschedule the fight. I'm healthy, I'm fit, I'm ready to go. I know I can smash him, I know I can beat him. He's going to bring a lot of pressure, but I know I've got better boxing skill and better movement than the other guys he's faced.
"I told him before that I will retire him and I'll be his last fight. Lock in the fight, I'll put in a great show. He will get his money that he wants, but I will put him into retirement. He's had a good career."
The Kiwi's manager David Higgins has suggested that Haye is looking for a final payday for Chisora against Usyk, but remains hopeful that Hearn will instead secure the fight with Parker.
We're sitting tight, leaving that in the hands of Eddie Hearn and Matchroom. The obvious answer is Derek Chisora
Higgins told Sky Sports: "We've been advised by Joseph Parker's promoter Matchroom, led by Eddie Hearn, that we're going to get some answers next week on who Joseph might fight next, where and when.
"We're sitting tight, leaving that in the hands of Eddie Hearn and Matchroom. The obvious answer is Derek Chisora. There has been talk of Chisora-Parker for two years now. Chisora has been baying to make that fight happen.
"On our front, the deal is done. We have a three-fight contract with Matchroom, so the terms are all agreed. It's an easy one. Chisora wanted it, Parker wanted it. The only thing standing in the way is the Machiavellian David Haye.
"Joseph Parker is an old-school boxer, who fights the guy in front of him and is fearless. I think Chisora is arguably the same, however, enter David Haye the master thief of heavyweight boxing. He was lucky to be heavyweight champion and 'stole' the belt in a bizarre spectacle against a giant, somewhere in eastern Europe."
Haye has not completely ruled out Parker, but insists he is behind Usyk, the former undisputed cruiserweight champion, in their current shortlist for Chisora's expected fight in early 2020.
That was Parker's opportunity for the fight. It could still happen, but for me, Usyk is definitely the front runner, the fighter that I want, the fighter that Derek wants
"It was all scheduled, four weeks prior to the fight, he gets bitten by a spider and the fight doesn't happen," Haye told Sky Sports.
"That was Parker's opportunity for the fight. It could still happen, but for me, Usyk is definitely the frontrunner, the fighter that I want, the fighter that Derek wants.
"As far as Derek is concerned, he would have beat Parker. That was just a stepping stone to a fight against Usyk. The fact that Parker pulled out, that's his fault. David Price turned up, he only had three or four weeks notice for the fight, but he still turned up and gave the best effort he could. It wasn't enough.
"I think Derek would have beat Parker, if he had turned up. We'll never know now. That's not Derek's fault, but as far as I'm concerned, the fight that means a lot more is fighting the WBO mandatory challenger in Oleksandr Usyk, who is the undisputed and undefeated fighter."
