Boxing: Joseph Parker given surprise shot at heavyweight title

Joseph Parker will have another shot at heavyweight gold. Photo / Matchroom Boxing

Another chance at a world championship title has come earlier than expected for Joseph Parker, with the World Boxing Organisation adding extra incentive to his upcoming bout against Joe Joyce.

At the request of Joyce's promoter Frank Warren, the WBO has confirmed the bout between their number 1 and 2 heavyweight boxers in Manchester on September 25 will now be for the interim heavyweight title.

It's a move that makes sense for the organisation to keep its division moving. The WBO heavyweight title is one of the five major belts held by Ukrainian Oleksandr Usyk who, after defending his throne against Anthony Joshua in late August, looks set to take on reigning WBC champion Tyson Fury in a bout to crown the undisputed heavyweight king.

In the WBO Championship Committee's ruling on the request, they noted activity in the division has been "significantly low" over the past two years as the belt has only been defended on two occasions – the two bouts between Usyk and Joshua – and that "affirmative action towards keeping the division active" was warranted.

Speaking to the Herald, Parker's manager David Higgins said the ruling came as a welcome surprise.

"In this case, they talk about how we're in an era where often the best are not fighting the best, fights are delayed or not happening, there's talk of retirement and so on.

"They've looked at Joseph Parker versus Joe Joyce as number one fighting number two, it's all on the line, the best fighting the best, and they've decided to give it that status."

The winner of the bout will now take on the status as interim world heavyweight champion, and have a strong claim to a fully-fledged title fight after the Usyk-Fury saga plays out. However, Joyce has a one-sided rematch clause in the bout agreement with Parker, so the Kiwi will still likely have to beat his British counterpart twice before any potential bout against the Usyk-Fury victor.

In their ruling making the bout an interim title fight, the committee made note of that situation and specified "take all necessary steps to ensure the fans and the general public that no impediment arises that would jeopardise the Usyk/Fury bout(s)", noting how big that particular booking would be for the sport.

They note that while Fury is said to be retired, conversations are underway for a meeting between the two in early 2023, and various scenarios could arise from that bout that would further impact the division.

Higgins said while it was an exciting development in a fight that had taken so long to get across the line, it ultimately didn't change anything for Parker.

"At the end of the day, it makes no difference to his job – which is to win the fight. If you lose the fight, it's all meaningless," Higgins said.

"The job hasn't changed – he has to beat Joe Joyce."