Parker's handlers are delusional: ""Beating Wilder would make Parker a big name in the United States, and beating Fury would make Parker a big name in the United Kingdom," said Higgins." I understand they need a bit of hyperbole to sell fights but their talk just sounds highly deluded. Nobody even knows who Wilder and H. Fury are in their respective home markets. Wilder has trouble filling the arena in his home city ffs.
Unlike you, I like remain optimistic and believe that team Parker really contacted with Wilder's people. If they didn't, Wilder's management would've said so. And this part is just outright wrong. Hughie Fury is far from a C level bum and far from a cherrypick. He will be a risky opponent with little reward.
Wilder's far more guilty of this than Parker. Parker has only really now started to hype himself up regarding big fights, and he has a pretty solid foundation on which to base his words having fought a mid range top ten in Takam and a decent undefeated fighter in Ruiz. There's no reason not to believe him when he says he wants to go after Wilder. There's a lot more doubt the other way round.
Keep an eye on Parker, I've followed him for a very long time and am sure it is more than just talk from his point of view. I know most boxers are like that but Parker will be an exception, wait and see. For a start, Parker is apparently an underdog against both Hughie Fury and Wilder so no matter what he's taking a high risk first defence / unification.
LOL. Pressure? Stiverne and Duhaupas and their high guard plodding forward eating jabs and rights. Molina and Arreola just not doing anything all all and still catching Wilder. Just admit after Stiverne and his poor title defense Wilder has gone down and down in quality opposition.
Parker vs. Wilder and Joshua vs. Klitschko happening in tandem is the best case scenario that could have played out in the division in the wake of the "fall of Fury" debacle. Ideally this results in some of the dead weight getting cut loose and the youngsters poised for a big unification rivalry (not that I bear Deontay or Wladimir any personal ill will; in fact I rather like both as people from the public image they project...but the best thing for boxing is both of them getting iced) which in turn is hopefully competitive and even, at the risk of asking too much and jinxing it, yields a multiple-fight series.
All the upper level fighters tend to be in discussion/negotiation with more than one prospective opponent at a time. Parker obviously working a few options, including Fury, Wilder and perhaps others we aren't even hearing about.
I'd really like to see this. I think Wilder levels him. If this fight happens and the Joshua vs Klitschko happens wouldn't it be great to see the winners face off!?
Parker - Wilder would be a good HW fight. Oddmakers will have Wilder at least a 2:1 favorite, and they will be right. I like Parker's ring generalship. He moves very well and has a good jab that he is able to use as he moves. Wilder has a similar style but sits down on his punches more often, has a good chin and fires back when his opponent has some offensive success. Wilder showed he has some trouble with moving opponents like Szpilka but Szpilka's unorthodox movement isn't straight up as Parker's, and I don't believe Wilder's jab will be as ineffective against Parker as it was against Szpilka. Parker hasn't been in the ring with a boxer/puncher like Wilder. I think he'll have some success like other Wilder opponents until Wilder finally catches him with that straight right. Then I think we may see a replay of Liakhovich, on the canvas. Ugly sight!
This. Parker is a KO waiting to happen. Don't think Parker stands a chance with Joshua or Ortiz either.