Whole Division Waiting On Usyk - Parker

Fabio Wardley said he had nary hesitation astir taking a conflict pinch Joseph Parker and plans to beryllium he is simply a world people heavyweight by knocking retired his rival.

The Briton faces Parker connected 25 October astatine London's O2 Arena, pinch nan victor expected to beryllium Oleksandr Usyk's adjacent opponent.

Like Parker pinch nan WBO, Wardley is classed highly by nan WBA but decided to return connected nan New Zealander alternatively than hold for an injured Usyk to return to action.

"It wasn't really overmuch of a consideration," 30-year-old Wardley told BBC Sport.

"I judge I should beryllium successful nan speech for those apical heavyweights. It's thing possibly nan nationalist deliberation needs to beryllium proven.

"But what amended measurement to do that than return connected nan number 2 heavyweight successful nan world successful Joseph Parker."

The heavyweights met astatine their first news convention connected Thursday successful London, but location were fewer fireworks speech from nan customary promises of domination and knockouts.

Former world champion Parker, 33, has ever been a instrumentality favourite but has reinvented himself successful caller years pinch large wins complete Deontay Wilder, Zhilei Zhang and Martin Bakole.

His tally was meant to rewarded pinch a world title shot, but a gathering pinch past IBF champion Daniel Dubois successful February was cancelled successful conflict week.

Parker, nan WBO's interim champion, past had his changeable astatine Usyk postponed because of an wounded to nan Ukrainian.

The WBO has granted Usyk a 90-day aesculapian hold to work together position pinch Parker, meaning a solution to whether nan undisputed champion fights aliases vacates his WBO loop whitethorn beryllium delayed until December.

There is simply a chance Usyk decides to vacate earlier then, but it is nan 2nd clip a statement Parker has had a world title changeable delayed.

"As a combatant each you want to do is fight," Parker said of nan disappointment.

"Every fight's a risky fight, but astatine this shape it is simply a large risk. I person a batch to lose.

"I don't want to beryllium waiting astir for Usyk. I want to beryllium engaged and I want to conflict often.

"The full section is conscionable waiting connected Usyk and seeing erstwhile he's fresh to conflict again."

Should nan bout get upgraded to a world title conflict is of nary interest to Wardley, however.

The knockout creator will return Parker's position arsenic adjacent successful statement pinch a triumph and headdress disconnected what will beryllium a stunning emergence to world people level having started disconnected successful achromatic collar boxing.

"This is already a world title fight. With it connected nan statement aliases without it there, this is nan biggest trial of my profession to date. This is my world title fight. We cognize what comes after," Wardley said.

"I don't spot this going nan distance. One measurement aliases different location is going to beryllium a knockout.

"So acold truthful bully for me, it's ever been me. I've ever recovered a measurement to win. We cognize really overmuch of a correct manus successful maine that I tin propulsion retired astatine immoderate moment.

"It would beryllium nan first aliases 12th round, but 1 measurement aliases different it's going to land."