Joseph Parker gives 'glass jaw' Anthony Joshua final fight purse offer

  • 22/11/2017

Joseph Parker has put the ball firmly back in Anthony Joshua's court to make a unification bout happen in early 2018.

The WBO heavyweight champion and his promoters have offered the British slugger their "final bottom-line decision" of a 35 percent cut of the purse should the two champions meet in the ring.

Duco Events boss David Higgins confirmed that discussions with WBA, IBO and IBF heavyweight champion Joshua and promoter Eddie Hearn were nearing an agreement.

Parker, fronting media in Auckland on Wednesday, said he just wants the fight to be confirmed as soon as possible.

"AJ and I want to unify, and they [the promoters] should make it happen," Parker said.

"I'm happy my team is taking care of that. I'm staying in shape, in case it happens."

Joshua and his promoter Eddie Hearn
Joshua and his promoter Eddie Hearn Photo credit: Getty
Joseph Parker celebrates hos world title win in December 2015.
Joseph Parker celebrates hos world title win in December 2015. Photo credit: Photosport
Joshua beat Wladimir Klitschko earlier this year to win the WBA and IBO titles.
Joshua beat Wladimir Klitschko earlier this year to win the WBA and IBO titles. Photo credit: Getty

In a bid to potentially lure Joshua into a response, Duco released a video that showed Joshua copping punishment in both amateur and professional ranks.

The video also included claims from former sparing partners, confirming they had sent the Brit to the canvas.

Higgins and Parker's trainer, Kevin Barry, have long maintained that Joshua's chin is his biggest weakness.

"It's the best-kept secret in British boxing," said Higgins. "It's a genuine weakness, backed by fact.

"There is no disrespect here - it's all in the public domain and it's all factual.

"We want to build the hype in the UK. We will cop some hate, as we often do ... but this is all fact.

"And it's fact that Joseph has a granite chin ... he's never been dropped as an amateur, in sparring or as a professional."

Higgins then put the heat on Hearn, noting their offer was a take-it-or-leave-it scenario.

"We want to make the fight happen, we are not all hype," he said. "It's now up to Eddie and Anthony.

"There are no excuses ... they can have 65 percent of a very, very big pie."

"Our message to Anthony Joshua - and it's a serious message - is we want the opportunity to test your chin so much that we'll let you keep 65 percent of the profit, even though it's an intercontinental unification.

"Show Parker some respect and make the fight."

"We want an open book on revenue share. We have gone from 50 to 40 to 35 percent of the net profit and are willing to take the fight next.

"We feel anything less is disrespectful or a disgrace. Given Joshua has two belts and Joe has one, a share of about two-thirds and one-third split seems natural justice."

Higgins confirmed that the backup plans with Australian heavyweight Lucas Browne were continuing, as they looked at alternative and lucrative options to Joshua.

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