Lupesoliai keen on Joshua

By The NZ Herald 08 January 2016, 12:00AM

Lupesoliai Joseph Parker's immediate focus is on fighting in Samoa later this month but he is keen to test himself in the UK.

Parker is due to take on American southpaw Jason Bergman in Samoa on January 23, the first fight of what is expected to be another busy year for the promising 23-year-old heavyweight.

His professional career has so far been carefully managed but Parker knows he needs to step up against classier opponents to move into a mandatory challenger's position with one of the ranking organisations to set up a tilt at a world title - his camp believe that might even happen by the end of the year. That could see him testing himself in the UK.

With Tyson Fury the heavyweight champion after his surprise win over Wladimir Klitschko and Anthony Joshua also high up the rankings, heading to the UK seems a logical step.

"The UK is the spot right now for boxing and it's the hottest place to be for boxing," he told the UK's skysports.com.

"There is a lot of great heavyweights and a lot of great fighters there."

Parker and Joshua have similar records - Parker has won all 17 of his professional fights, 15 by knockout, and Joshua has won all 15 of his bouts by knockout - and both have similar rankings. Joshua is ranked as high as No 2 by the WBC and WBO, with Parker No 3 on the WBO list and No 6 with the IBF.

For more details http://m.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=11570404

By The NZ Herald 08 January 2016, 12:00AM
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