Despite its participants’ apparent best efforts, it looks as though we’ll actually see former WBO heavyweight champion Joseph Parker face rival countryman Junior Fa this year. Parker’s manager, Joseph Higgins, tells Newshub that the pair have “agreed terms” and will meet December 11th in Auckland, NZ’s Spark Arena.
An official announcement is expected tomorrow (Tuesday, October 6th) local time. Considering the time zone difference, said announcement could arrive by the end of the day.
This grudge match is built upon the pair’s four amateur matches, which saw Parker (27-2, 21 KO) and Fa (19-0, 10 KO) claim two wins apiece. Their pro careers haven’t been quite as symmetrical; Parker owns notable wins over Andy Ruiz Jr. and Hughie Fury, while Fa’s best victory came over Devin Vargas.
Despite this, Fa’s side has made significant demands, including rejecting a $200,000 USD offer and insisting that both fighters wear the same gloves. These could have simply been negotiation tactics, of course, and while we don’t know which of the demands actually paid off, the fight’s alive and that’s what matters.