By Daily Sports Nigeria on February 18, 2025

Former WBO heavyweight champion Joseph Parker has set his sights on a potential rematch with Anthony Joshua after his IBF title clash with Daniel Dubois in Riyadh on Saturday, The PUNCH.

Parker, who lost his WBO crown to Joshua in a 2018 unification bout, believes victory over Dubois could pave the way for several high-profile matchups, including a shot at redemption against the British star.

“I want to be champion of the world, to be unified champion of the world and to avenge the losses that I’ve had. And then retire,” Parker said.

However, the New Zealander acknowledges that even if he defeats Dubois, an immediate shot at Joshua might not materialise, with potential bouts against Oleksandr Usyk for the undisputed crown or a rematch clause with Dubois potentially taking precedence.

“It’s not locked in as a rematch but it’s a possibility that it could happen,” Parker explained.

“Fight Daniel, win, not sure if there’s a rematch or if I can fight Usyk or whatever else they have planned for me. It’s just to fight Daniel and see what’s next. I can say I’m going to fight Usyk but plans always change. There’s options out there. But the most important thing is to win.”

The 32-year-old expressed confidence in his ability to overcome Dubois, citing his understanding of the Briton’s fighting style.

“I feel like we know what he’s going to do. It’s not like a surprise, you know what he’s going to do – he’s going to come forward and throw shots,” he said.

Parker admitted he needs to show improvement from his recent performances against Zhilei Zhang and Deontay Wilder to handle Dubois’ aggressive approach.

“I do have to be on point. I have to be a lot better than I was with Zhang and Wilder. I feel like I have to because of the pressure he comes with and also the combinations that he throws. He’s a powerhouse.

“We’ve come with a good plan to be able to get out of the position of what he’s going to bring and to counter back with what we’re going to bring.”

The bout features on the ‘Last Crescendo’ fight card in Saudi Arabia, which also includes Artur Beterbiev’s light-heavyweight unification rematch with Dmitry Bivol.

Source Punch Ng

Posted February 18, 2025

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