Heavyweights Joe Joyce and Joseph Parker are set to face each other in July, according to promoter Frank Warren.
Warren announced that negotiations were in the final stages for a fight this summer. The promoter revealed the plans during an interview with BT Sport in the buildup to Tyson Fury’s bout with Dillian Whyte at Wembley Stadium in London on Saturday.
“These two giants are going to fight each other to see who’s the best giant,” Warren said. “This could be a great fight between the two of them; we’re looking to put it on at some point in July.”
The fight will pit Joyce (13-0, 12 KOs) against Parker (30-2, 21 KOs) in an unnamed stadium. Joyce is the WBO’s No. 1 contender and Parker is ranked No. 2. The winner could then become the mandatory challenger for Oleksandr Usyk’s WBO heavyweight title.
“It’s been brewing for a while now — we’re nearly done to agreeing the fight,” Parker said on BT Sport. “We’re so close — we just need Frank to sign the contract and then we’re on. I’d love to fight Joe Joyce.”
Joyce, 36, added: “It’s going to be made now, it’s almost there. I’m really excited to get the party started and to get in there.”
Warren said it would be a “great heavyweight fight.”
“I’m quite sure we’ll get it over the line and it’ll probably be in another stadium, really looking forward to it,” Warren said. “Joe’s been on the cusp of things for a long time — our man here [Parker] has beat up a few of the Brits. It’ll be something special.”
Parker, 30, will come into the fight off six straight victories, including back-to-back triumphs over Dereck Chisora, while Joyce — who won a silver medal at the Rio 2016 Olympics — in his last fight stopped Carlos Takam in London in July 2021 to stay undefeated.