Joseph Parker made history by becoming New Zealand’s first heavyweight champion when he captured the WBO title on Dec. 10. Now, Parker appears poised to make his first title defense in April: Hughie Fury, cousin to former champion Tyson Fury, is reportedly set to face Parker at a venue to be determined.
The Daily Telegraph‘s Gareth A. Davies reported that Parker vs. Fury is likely to take place on April 8, 2017.
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Hughie Fury, 22, has said that he will be fighting for a world title next, either against Parker or WBC champion Deontay Wilder. "I’m just waiting for my team to work on the details," he told The Daily Telegraph.
Parker’s promoter Duco Events recently began a co-promotional relationship with Top Rank’s Bob Arum in order to spread Parker’s reach beyond New Zealand. However, the team remains firm in wanting Parker to defend his WBO belt in Auckland, where he won it on Dec. 10 against Andy Ruiz.
David Haye, who is set to fight Tony Bellew, has been named the top contender by the WBO. He will likely face the winner of the contest between Parker and Hughie Fury.