Joseph Parker and Junior Fa negotiations hit a snag!
Former WBO heavyweight champion Joseph Parker (27-2, 21KOs) is hoping to return to the ring in either August or September. To that end, he is currently embroiled in some very contentious negotiations with fellow New Zealand heavyweight Junior Fa (19-0, 10KOs).
The two have been trying to hammer out a deal that would give New Zealand their version of a super-fight. Parker, age 28, is currently riding a consecutive three-fight knockout win streak. The triad of decisive victories follow after consecutive loses to unified heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua and WBC number one ranked contender Dillian Whyte.
As for Fa, he was last in action back in November of 2019. There, he won a unanimous decision over Devin Vargas (22-6, 9KOs).
WHAT’S HOLDING EVERYTHING UP?
Parker’s manager, David Higgins, told Sky Sports the following regarding the holdup in negotiations:
“Two days ago we offered Junior Fa more than $500,000 [New Zealand dollars] to fight Joseph Parker. That’s 10 times the biggest fight he’s ever had. The second-biggest fight in the history of New Zealand.”
“The only bigger purse has been when Parker fought Andy Ruiz Jr and won the world title. Junior Fa was offered the second biggest purse ever to fight the guy he had been calling out for two years. We can’t get a response.”
~ David Higgins, manager to Joseph Parker
LOU DIBELLA OFFERS HIS SIDE OF THE NEGOTIATIONS
“That’s simply not true. I don’t believe in negotiating through the press, that’s not how it’s done when you really want to make a fight.
The guaranteed money in the offer was $200,000 US. I found the offer, guarantee and upside, to be totally unacceptable for one of the biggest fights in New Zealand boxing history, I didn’t accept it. I will be discussing it further with Junior’s team shortly.”
~ Lou DiBella, DiBella Entertainment CEO
It’s clear that Fa and his team believe he deserves a bigger piece of the pie for a fight of this magnitude, while Parker and his team feels half a million dollars is more than enough for the unproven heavyweight to sign on the dotted line.
3kingsboxing.com will continue to monitor the situation and provide updates as they become available.
By: Jerrell Fletcher
