Joseph Parker doesn't deserve to be champion if he can't beat Fury - David Higgins

  • 10/09/2017
Joseph Parker and Hughie Fury.
Joseph Parker and Hughie Fury. Photo credit: Photosport

Duco Events owner David Higgins believes Joseph Parker doesn't deserve to be WBO heavyweight champion if he can't beat Hughie Fury later in the month.

The bout will be the second time Parker will defend his title since claiming the prestigious belt in December last year.

Fury and Parker were meant to fight back in May, but Fury controversially pulled out two weeks before the fight due to injury.

Parker then fought Romanian Razvan Cojanu and won by unanimous decision.

Speaking to Andrew Gourdie and Jim Kayes on RadioLIVE's Sunday sport, Higgins said Parker has to beat Fury. 

David Higgins.
David Higgins. Photo credit: Photosport

"I love Joseph Parker, but if he can't beat Hughie Fury, he shouldn't be heavyweight champion of the world," Higgins told Andrew Gourdie and Jim Kayes.

Meanwhile, boxing trainer David Coldwell thinks there's a big risk the upcoming fight between Kiwi Joseph Parker and Hughie Fury will go under the radar in Manchester.

Coldwell is currently the manager and trainer of British fighter Tony Bellew.

"When a fight gets made, it's down to the promotional team to put it out there," says Coldwell.

"I've seen regularly from the Fury camp, little videos and little, brief Snapchat interviews where they're talking about the fight, talking about training.

"But I don't see anything on the promotion of the show. If I wasn't in boxing, I wouldn't know who the promoter was.

"You have to delve and look to see what exactly the date the fight is.

"There has been nothing about it, no publicity, no nothing."

David Codwell.
David Codwell. Photo credit: Getty Images

Fury promoter Hennessy Sports announced last week the fight would be broadcasted on YouTube in the United Kingdom, which is the first of its kind.

Coldwell believes the decision to play the fight on YouTube is smart, due to the lack of coverage of the bout in England.

"The fact that it is on YouTube is fantastic I think, because no TV companies are interested in picking the fight up," says Codwell.

"It's good they got the YouTube deal because it's got the potential there for people to watch it.

"Potentially, down the line, it's a good channel for boxing revenue to go on.

"The Mayweather-McGregor fight, everybody in boxing, we all knew what was going to be, but there was that much talk about it; it was everywhere you go, every time you open your eyes, you see something.

"If there's no marketing, no publicity about it, then it is very, very hard to expect people to tune in."

Parker's clash with Fury will take place at Manchester Arena on September 24 (NZT) and will be Parker's first-ever professional fight in England.

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