Parker offers Joshua world title chance

Former WBO heavyweight champion Joseph Parker has offered Anthony Joshua a world title lifeline, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.

The New Zealander, who is currently the WBO Interim Champion and mandatory challenger to Oleksandr Usyk’s title, told FastSlots he would welcome a rematch with Joshua, potentially putting the British-Nigerian back into world title contention.

“AJ is always going to be a big fight because he’s a massive draw, and I think it’s only AJ who can come off a loss to Daniel Dubois in the way that he did lose, and still draw a massive crowd because he’s got a big following,” Parker said.

Joshua was last in action in September when he suffered a devastating fifth-round knockout defeat to IBF heavyweight champion Daniel Dubois, denying him the chance to become a three-time heavyweight champion and seemingly leaving him on the sidelines in the title picture.

The 34-year-old is currently recovering from a minor injury sustained in that bout and is not yet ready to return to full-intensity training, according to his promoter Eddie Hearn.

Parker, who lost to Joshua in March 2018 when the British-Nigerian added the WBO strap to his IBF and WBA titles, believes he is now a different fighter and eager to avenge past defeats.

“He’s been the poster boy for a long, long time, so he’s always going to have that pull. You are always going to make good money fighting AJ because again, he puts bums on seats, and he’s got the massive name,” Parker continued.

“I would like to avenge the losses that I have. If I can’t fight for the championship of the world against Usyk or Dubois, I would like to fight Anthony Joshua, Joe Joyce or Dillian Whyte to avenge those losses. I feel like I’m a totally different fighter now.”

A victory for Joshua over Parker would catapult him straight back into world title contention, potentially salvaging what appears to be the final chapter of his career.

Meanwhile, another former champion, Deontay Wilder, has also expressed interest in facing Joshua next year. The American, who has lost four of his last five fights, is planning a comeback starting with a bout against Tyrrell Herndon on June 27.

“Not this year for sure, but in the near future,” Wilder told 78SPORTSTV regarding a potential Joshua fight. “Maybe sometime next year. But all of that is close.”