South Auckland, New Zealand (January 2, 2024) - Finishing off 2023 with a remarkable win against Deontay Wilder, New Zealand Top Heavyweight Joseph Parker steps into 2024 with a world of opportunities.

2023 Rebuild

Parker devoted most of 2023 to reclaiming his position in the heavyweight division after a knockout loss to Joe Joyce in late 2022. However, his victory over Wilder in Saudi Arabia was a definitive statement, possibly marking the peak performance of Parker’s career and solidifying his place among the elite top heavyweights in the division.

Prior to the bout, talks swirled around Wilder's potential clash with Anthony Joshua in early 2024. Parker’s triumph derailed those plans, and in an interview with Sky Sports UK, Parker’s manager David Higgins hinted at the possibility of Parker pursuing the Joshua fight himself, though acknowledging that it might be too soon for a rematch.

“Joseph has earned that bout, in my opinion, and the Saudis would see merit in Parker versus Anthony Joshua,” remarked Higgins.

Parker Ready for Joshua

“We’re up for a fight against Anthony Joshua without hesitation. Everyone knows Joseph would step in, but I'm uncertain if that's an immediate option. We’ll assess any opportunity that comes our way.

“I can’t speak for [Anthony Joshua's] team, but they might be focusing on rebuilding to a point and aiming for significant fights against the likes of Tyson Fury or Oleksandr Usyk.

“Perhaps Joseph, especially after handling business with Wilder the way he did, is perceived as high-risk.”

Joshua was the first to defeat Parker, taking away the Kiwi’s WBO world heavyweight title with a unanimous decision victory in 2018.

Facing the Best

Parker has always embraced challenges, facing off against former world champions Wilder, Joshua, and Andy Ruiz Jr., along with top heavyweights such as Joyce and Dillian Whyte.

Following the win over Wilder, Parker is now ranked as the 5th Top Heavyweight in the world. He has already ascended to No. 3 with BoxRec, a globally respected boxing records website, trailing only Oleksandr Usyk and Joshua.

Staying Busy

Although the title belts are presently tied up in the scheduled Usyk-Fury clash in mid-February to determine the undisputed heavyweight champion, Higgins expressed Parker's eagerness to contend for the title again if the opportunity arises.

However, he hinted that their focus was on having Parker back in action by March, which would be too swift for a title fight should the Usyk-Fury bout proceed as planned.

Zhilei Zhang

Apart from Joshua or a title fight, Zhilei Zhang has signaled interest in facing Parker. The formidable Chinese fighter, having secured two knockout wins over Joyce and holding the WBO interim heavyweight title, seeks a showdown with Parker.

“We’re considering all possibilities, and Joseph wants to stay active and perform regularly at his best,” revealed Higgins to Sky Sports.

“He's got a momentum going, so the plan is to keep moving forward. We’re not looking to step backward against weaker opponents. Our aim is to maintain the standard and stay active.

“If he can get back in the ring by March, he'll be thankful to everyone who contributes to making it happen.”