Joseph Parker has expressed his frustration after admitting he may have to fight at least once more before getting a shot at the world title.
The Kiwi boxer swiftly defeated Martin Bakole on Saturday night, despite originally being scheduled to fight IBF champion Daniel Dubois, who had to withdraw due to illness just 48 hours before the bout. Despite Bakole’s reputation as one of the most feared fighters globally, Parker was quick to step up to the challenge. After his victory, the 33 year old sent a message to Oleksandr Usyk, saying: “Who’s next? Can I fight for the world title next? If Usyk wants a dance partner, I’d like to fight for the world title.”
However, the Ukrainian dismissed Parker’s challenge, stating in an interview with Boxing King: “I want the next fight with Daniel Dubois, undisputed.” When asked about the potential venue, Usyk responded: “London, Riyadh Season, doesn’t matter,” before adding: Yeah, yeah. I’m ready, bro.”
Parker has been enjoying a successful streak, having recently defeated Deontay Wilder, Zhilei Zhang, and now Bakole. However, despite becoming the mandatory challenger for Usyk’s WBO title, Parker believes he may need to fight once more before getting a shot at the championship. In an interview with The Herald, Parker expressed his frustration, saying: “I think there’s going to be a fight with Usyk and Dubois lined up because everyone is talking about it now.”
He added that it’s possible he’ll have one more fight before competing for the world championship, which he’s been working towards since losing the WBO title in 2018. Reflecting on his recent win, Parker stated: “For me, they’re great performances. There’s people who say they’re great wins and there’s people who say Wilder was past his best; Zhang is an old man; Bakole came in [at] late notice.”
He emphasized that he’s focused on his own progress, saying: “You can’t please everyone, but that doesn’t matter as long as you’re doing what you think is right. I’ve been on a great run and I’ve turned my whole career around. I’ve dedicated my life to boxing. Working, building on strength, endurance – I’ve lifted to another level.
