After fall from grace, ex-champ Joseph Parker says he's more driven than ever
There was a time in the not too distant past when if you discussed the prominent rising stars in the heavyweight division, the discussion must have included Joseph Parker.
When he won the vacant WBO heavyweight title in a tougher than anticipated bout with Andy Ruiz Jr. on Dec. 10, 2016, in Auckland, New Zealand, Parker was 21-0 with 18 knockouts and generally regarded at the same level as Tyson Fury, Anthony Joshua and Deontay Wilder.
Parker’s majority decision win over Ruiz that night might have been the first step in a fall from grace for the affable Kiwi, who lost his belt to Joshua in a lackluster 2018 affair.
A loss to Dillian Whyte followed closely on the heels of the loss to Joshua, and by last fall, when the top heavyweights were mentioned, Parker’s name was rarely among them.
“A lot of people have mentioned the heavyweight division is on fire at this stage, but we’re not really in the mix, or a part of the conversation, at the moment,” Parker told Yahoo Sports. “Listen, I get it. We lost those fights, very close fights, but just because they were losses, it doesn’t mean that, I don’t know, how do I put this? I feel like, there is a lot more I can give to the division. I have a lot more drive and I want to be champion more than ever now.”
By virtue of his stunning June 1 upset over Joshua in New York, Ruiz has turned the “Big Three” into the Big Four, joining Wilder, the WBC champion; Fury, the lineal champion and Joshua.
Below them are a stunningly deep class of prospects, which includes 2016 Olympic gold medalist Tony Yoka; 2016 Olympic silver medalist Joe Joyce; powerful Efe Ajagba as well as Daniel Dubois, Guido Vianelloa and Filip Hrgovic.
Parker returns to the ring on Saturday against Alex Leapai at the Dunkin Donuts Center in Providence, Rhode Island, looking to make a statement about his position in the division.
“My opinion is that the difference between the top guys, the guys who are right there now, and guys like myself, is that there isn’t a lot of difference,” Parker said. “There are many factors that play into it. No excuses, [but I was] coming into camp overweight and there were injuries and this and that.
“There are many things I have taken from those experiences that I think will be beneficial. Having been at the top, I feel like I have a good understanding of the level I need to be at or aiming for, and I feel I can get even another level above that.”
Parker is not a lost cause by any stretch. He’s only 27 and is two years younger than Ruiz and Joshua, nearly four years younger than Fury and almost seven years younger than Wilder. Even Joyce, who turned pro late and is regarded as a prospect, is nearly seven years older than Parker.
So while he isn’t hearing the glowing praise he heard at one stage of his professional career, it’s not out of the question that he puts it back together and makes a lengthy run at the top.
He wants to stay active and hopes to fight by October if he defeats Leapai on Saturday. But he said he’s better now than he’s ever been, even if fans aren’t recognizing it at this point.
“From 2016 to now, there’s no comparison: I’m a better fighter than I was then,” Parker said. “I’m above the level I was then, and there are still other levels I can get to. There’s a lot to work on and a lot to learn but I feel I’m going to be making a statement in the heavyweight division that will make people take notice.”
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