Whyte vs Chisora: Joseph Parker's immediate future rests on outcome

The result of Dillian Whyte's heavyweight blockbuster rematch against Dereck Chisora could influence the immediate direction of Joseph Parker's boxing career.

A win for Whyte on Sunday should land 'The Body Snatcher' a heavyweight title fight against Anthony Joshua in March or April 2019.

Duco Events boss David Higgins has been campigning on Parker's behalf for a rematch with the 30-year-old, after his charge came up short in a controversial decision loss in September.

Whyte defeated Parker by unanimous decision in a fight-of-the-year contender, but a second-round accidental headbutt on Parker was ruled a knockdown.

Had the referee ruled differently, the fight would likely have been scored a split draw and Parker could still be in the mix for a heavyweight title.

On Thursday, Higgins told Newshub that a Whyte vs Joshua match-up wasn't as locked in as some thought.

Despite the WBC-ordered rematch between its champion Deontay Wilder and Tyson Fury, Higgins believed a Joshua v Fury fight was a possibility, given the enormous paycheck that would be warranted.

Dillian Whyte
Dillian Whyte Photo credit: Reuters

Higgins believed it could lead to the biggest pay-per-view number of either fighters' career and he wouldn't be surprised if Eddie Hearn pulled the rug out of a Wilder vs Fury rematch.

If that happens, Whyte - or potentially Chisora - would be left without an opponent and that's where Higgins believed Parker figures into the conversation.

"If Joshua fought Wilder or Fury, and Whyte beat Chisora, then Whyte would be left without an opponent, leaving Joseph the most viable option," Higgins suggested.

"All options are on the table - we would be willing to fight the winner of [Whyte vs Chisora].

"We wouldn't shy away from any of those British opponents, but that being said, the deal must be right.

"If the deal isn't right, then we could look to America or we could look at staging something back here in New Zealand."

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Should Parker return to New Zealand for his next fight, the other name on the marque won't be fellow Kiwi slugger Junior Fa.

Parker's trainer, Kevin Barry, scoffed at a future match-up between the two, calling Fa's record a "joke". Higgins agrees, but appreciates Team Fa are just trying to boost their own profile off Parker's name.

"Junior is a long way off," Higgins said. "If he keeps winning and can put together a better record, then he becomes an option - but he is a long way off.

"A lot of those guys he has beaten on his record are a long way off the standard on Joseph Parker's record. He has beaten no-one of note to date.

"The money out of a [Junior Fa] fight is pocket change compared to what we could make in the United States or the UK.

"Junior just needs to build a credible record, before that would become a credible fight.

"Parker has fought Takam, Anthony Joshua, Whyte and the like. Junior Fa has had carefully selected opposition and so far, none of them I would qualify as decent opponents.

"That's the reason the Fa camp are calling out Joseph Parker - they don't really want that fight now.

"They are using Joseph Parker's media profile to elevate their own and good on them - that's their job."

As for a winner for Sunday's clash, Higgins is leaning towards Whyte, but given the back-and-forth nature of their first encounter in 2016, Chisora is a chance at causing an upset.

"Whyte is the favourite, but Chisora is very tough," Higgins noted.

"People wrote him off against [Carlos] Takam, but Chisora destroyed Takam - it could go either way."

Join us from 8am Sunday for live updates of Dillian Whyte vs Dereck Chisora.

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