It’s on! Joe Joyce is set to take on Joseph Parker at the Manchester Arena on Saturday 24 September, exclusively live on BT Sport Box Office.
Fight fans are treated to an absolute banger between two men who rarely take a step back when both are vying for the heavyweight position, with the lure of a world title shot looming in the not too distant future.
The couple had verbally agreed to face each other earlier this summer, only for talks to collapse in the 11th hour when Parker opted to pledge his future to a rival promoter.
Meanwhile, Joyce sent out German contender Christian Hammer to mark his first action in a year and returned to the ring victorious after suffering a serious arm injury.
But in recent weeks, Parker returned to negotiations to honor his commitment to face Joyce in what could be a pivotal heavyweight bout.
The 30-year-old former WBO world champion is desperate to get back to the top of the division after beating game veteran Dereck Chisora in back-to-back games in his last two trips to the ring and extending his winning streak to six in the process.
Meanwhile, Joyce, who is undefeated in 14 pro fights, will be on the hunt for a 14th career knockout against a man who claims to have the best chin in the heavyweight division.
Seats one and two on the WBO board is Joyce vs. Parker, a clash between two men who are truly at the top of their game and neither can afford to lose.
“This is an amazing fight that really keeps the ball rolling in the heavyweight division,” said Hall of Famer promoter and Queensberry boss Frank Warren.
“It turns out it’s been a while but this is a match between two in-form and high-profile heavyweights fighting to be first in line for a world title.
“That’s what fans want to see, so I’m excited to bring this blockbuster fight to Manchester, the largest indoor arena in the country, which we want to see packed to the rafters.
“Joseph Parker is obviously a well-known and well-respected fighting figure here in the UK, both for his exploits in the ring and for his work with Tyson Fury at Morecambe. He also looks like a much-improved heavyweight since he teamed up with Andy Lee and his loss to Dereck Chisora last time out was comprehensive.
“This is the perfect test of Big Joe’s World Championship credentials and a win over Parker would propel him into the top ranks of the division and right into the mix with the likes of Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk.”
Olympic silver medalist Joyce added, “This fight has been a long time coming.
“Parker realized he had nowhere else to go and ultimately had to take on this fight. No. 1 vs. No. 2. The winner goes on to fight for the world title! It’s going to be a smashing fight and you’ll see why he tried so hard to avoid me!”
Parker, the former WBO world champion, said: “On Saturday 24 September the fans in Manchester will see the best of me. And Joe Joyce will see exactly why I’ll be world heavyweight champion again with BOXXER.
“I’m working hard with my coach Andy Lee, everything is going smoothly and I feel really great. I’ve been patiently waiting for this fight to begin, and now let me tell you that the Juggernaut’s journey ends right here. He has nowhere to run. ”
Tickets for Nowhere to Run – the heavyweight duel between Joe Joyce and Joe Parker – start from £40 and go on sale exclusively at Ticketmaster.co.uk on Tuesday 9 August at 12pm.
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