
Joseph Parker would be willing to put a mandatory shot at Oleksandr Usyk at risk to box Moses Itauma immediately after his upcoming fight with Fabio Wardley.
Parker has suggested he’s open to fighting Itauma in December if he comes through unscathed against Wardley later this month.
Itauma is due to box in December, but is waiting for his next opponent to be confirmed.
Parker fights Wardley at the O2 Arena in London, so boxing two months later would be an incredibly fast turnaround for a modern heavyweight.
It would also be a huge gamble. If Parker does beat Wardley, undisputed heavyweight world champion Oleksandr Usyk would have to fight him next to retain the WBO title. Boxing Itauma in the interim would risk that position.
Nevertheless the New Zealander has thrown his hat into the ring to face Itauma after Wardley.
“I don’t want to be out of the ring for too long. This fighting once a year is just not good enough. I want to fight as often as I can and if all goes well with Wardley on October 25, put me in the ring again at the end of the year,” Parker insisted.
“I would take any fight there is. I know Moses is a great talent. He can only fight who is in front of him and he’s been able to take care of business every time.
“He’s young, he’s powerful, he’s fast and that would be another fight I would love to take. I’ll take any fight. I’m not even in this boxing game to be taking my time, picking this fight or picking that fight, I’ll fight anyone.”
Itauma’s devastating first-round knockout win over Dillian Whyte in August sent out a warning to the heavyweight division. But Parker is unfazed.
Parker said: “Listen, he’s a big threat. He’s a very talented young fighter who is just dominating whoever is in front of him so of course everyone’s going to ask for big money, but if it can happen, it will happen.”
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