Boxing: Hughie Fury focus on David Haye

Hughie Fury has apparently sealed a deal to fight David Haye. Photo / Photosport.nz

Weeks after criticising Joseph Parker for looking at fights beyond their September 23 date in Manchester, Hughie Fury has apparently sealed a deal to fight David Haye.

In what is an interesting subplot to Parker's WBO world heavyweight title defence at Manchester Arena, Fury's connections appear to be so confident of victory on home soil that they are targeting Haye in what would be a big-money first title defence for Fury.

"I would take me completely seriously because I am coming for that belt," said Fury in a press conference alongside New Zealander Parker in Manchester recently.

Parker, his promoter David Higgins and trainer Kevin Barry have been in discussions with Eddie Hearn over possible fights against Tony Bellew and Anthony Joshua. A fight against Bellew could happen in England as early as December, with a bout against Joshua, the holder of the WBA, IBO and IBF titles, this time next year should Parker retain his belt.

Intriguingly, Parker has struck up a friendship with rival Haye and will train in his London gym while preparing for the Fury fight before travelling to Manchester. Haye, however, would be a direct beneficiary should Parker lose to Fury.

The other twist to the Haye tale is the fact that Fury's cousin, Tyson, has expressed his annoyance at the news his family have been negotiating with Haye.

There is even speculation the 28-year-old, who blew the division open when defeating Wladimir Klitschko in Germany in 2015 but hasn't fought since, might have retired from professional boxing as a result.

Security for the Parker-Fury fight, meanwhile, is likely to be heavy after the events of several months ago.

At the end of an Ariana Grande concert on May 22, a suicide bomber detonated a device in the main foyer of the arena, killing 22 people, injuring 129 and causing widespread damage.

Since then, the arena has been undergoing repairs, which meant Parker was unable to view the facilities while in Manchester recently on a tour promoting the bout, the second defence of his WBO title.

Barry told the Herald on Sunday that visiting the city and meeting Englishman Fury and his cousin, Tyson, had been valuable.

Parker, undefeated after 23 professional fights, is eager to put in a dominant performance against Fury, who pulled out of their scheduled fight in Auckland in May.

There is a suspicion the back injury claimed by Fury was a convenient way to help get the fight shifted to his home city and Barry acknowledged the difficulty of Parker fighting in enemy territory. The New Zealander has fought in Germany and the United States but never in the United Kingdom.

"It won't be easy," Barry said. "There will be 20,000 screaming Manchester fans. They aren't the most polite in the world and they will be making it as difficult as they can for us."