Joseph Parker to fight for a heavyweight title this year - Lonergan

  • 03/10/2016
(Photosport)
(Photosport)

By Brad Lewis

Joseph Parker will fight for a world title in his next bout, according to DUCO promoter Dean Lonergan.

The number one ranked fighter with both the IBF and WBO extended his undefeated streak to 21 with 18 knockouts on Saturday night, stopping Alexander Dimitrenko in the third round.

Lonergan told Paul Henry on Monday that with IBF champion Anthony Joshua seeking a fight with Wladimir Klitschko in November, a Parker showdown with Mexican-American Andy Ruiz for the WBO heavyweight title is a high possibility in Auckland on December 10.

"As long as [Tyson] Fury gets stripped, I would say 95 percent," he said.

Fury currently holds the WBO, IBO and WBA straps, but is likely to lose them due to his ongoing health problems and questions around drug use.

"There is a clause in the rules of the WBO that says if the world champion hasn't fought in nine months they can strip him, and it's probably going to happen," says Lonergan, "so number one will fight number two to find out who the new champion is.

"The way things are going, Klitschko is going to fight Anthony Joshua. Andy Ruiz is ranked number three - we think that's the fight we can make here, and we can afford to bring the fight here."

Parker isn't completely out of the running for a shot at Joshua'a IBF belt, but with Joshua's camp preferring a potential unification fight with Klitschko, DUCO is looking elsewhere.

Lonergan said Parker proved his championship credentials on Saturday night against the giant Ukrainian with the best win of his career.

"That was a destruction. Joseph Parker didn't take on someone on the rise, or someone on the fall - he fought someone right in the zenith of what he should be.

"Joseph walked right through Dimitrenko."

Eddie Hearn and the Joshua camp are expected to make an announcement later this week which should paint a picture of the heavyweight division for the next six months.

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