Boxing: Joseph Parker to fight Dillian Whyte

Dillian Whyte and Joseph Parker pose for photographs. Photo /Getty

Joseph Parker will face Englishman Dillian Whyte in a heavyweight clash in London next month, a turn of events which could hardly have worked out better for the New Zealander.

Parker, the former WBO world champion who lost his belt to Anthony Joshua in Cardiff in April, will fight Whyte at the O2 Arena on July 28, with Whyte's promoter Eddie Hearn announcing the bout tonight.

LETS GO BABY LETS GO!!! @DillianWhyte will face @joeboxerparker on July 28 in a crunch heavyweight clash on a huge night at @TheO2 @SkySportsBoxing 🇬🇧🇳🇿💥 pic.twitter.com/QdjdJR4QMC

— Eddie Hearn (@EddieHearn) June 7, 2018

It is a fight which has seemingly come out of the blue, with American Bryant Jennings initially the favourite to be Parker's next opponent. However, the Whyte fight is a great result for Parker, who was desperate for a high-profile, credible, opponent after his disappointing 12-round defeat to Joshua.

"There's going to be blood, pain and a knockout. I'm bang up for this," said Whyte, who has also lost to Joshua.

"He's a good fighter but he didn't show much courage against Joshua, hopefully he'll be a bit more adventurous and come to have a fight against me.

"I like challenges and I rise to them, this is a big fight and I'll be training very hard as always.

"There's a massive incentive there to try and stop him.

Parker said: "We've both been in with AJ.

"One of us ended the fight on our feet, the other didn't. That pretty much speaks for itself.

"I'm really looking forward to fighting Dillian. He's got a big mouth and says some funny things - and he's also highly entertaining in the ring.

"It'll be an incredible fight. There's no doubt about that.

"I'm really happy with how things have things have worked out. I know it took a lot of hard work from my team to get this over the line."

"I'm looking forward to getting back to training and burning off the pies I ate in New Zealand."

Whyte has a big following in the United Kingdom, and especially in London, and the 20,000 arena would quickly sell out for a bout unlikely to go the distance.

The Herald was ringside when Whyte stopped Lucas Browne with a brutal left hook which put the Australian into hospital a week before the Joshua-Parker fight, and Whyte would be happy to trade blows with Parker, something that Joshua wouldn't.

Apart from being a popular fight in terms of likely television pay per views, a victory for Parker would send him back up the rankings which is his main goal now.

A win for either man would put him into pole position to challenge Joshua or Deontay Wilder, the WBC world champion, as Whyte is ranked the No1 WBC challenger.

He is also No3 with the WBO and No4 with the IBF. Parker is ranked as high as fifth with the WBO.