WBO #1 Ranked Super-Middleweight tank Zach Parker has sized up his Queensberry Light Heavyweight stablemates and confidently declared: “They ain’t much bigger than me, I’d love to fight any of them!”
Parker had chance to stand alongside Britain’s best 175lb’ers when he attended last week’s press conference for the July 10th show at the Royal Albert Hall.
Headlining that show will be ‘King’ Lyndon Arthur, who is battling Italy’s Davide Faraci, but also in attendance at the media event was ‘The Beast from the East’ Anthony Yarde and ‘The One’ Callum Johnson.
Parker said of the potential for joining them in a fatal fourway knockout competition: “I’m a massive super-middleweight, so if the opportunity comes up I’d definitely go up and fight any of them.”
Title hungry Parker even had a suggestion for how Hall-Of-Fame Promoter Frank Warren could brand such a tournament, telling Dev Sahni it should be called “The four kings.”
Super-Middleweights adding 7lb’s of muscle and joining the Light-Heavy ranks is a hot topic at the minute, with suggestions in the press that John Ryder is being lined up for a shot at Dmitry Bivol.
Parker couldn’t hide his disappointment at a potential fight with Ryder being taken off the table for himself – saying he was “pissed off” – and even poured cold water on the Islington man’s chances against Bivol: “I’m big enough for the Light Heavies, Ryder ain’t”, he said.
He did say, however, that he hoped his fellow Brit could pull off the upset.
Before he can think of any potential move up in weight, though, Parker must deal with the immediate threat in front of him.
That challenge falls on July 10th when he squares up against battle-hardened Uzbekistani bruiser Sherzod Khusanov – a bout the Derby ace insists he is not taking lightly.
“He’s coming to win and he wants my WBO #1 spot. It’s a tough opponent, I’ve seen a little bit of him. He’s won 22, lost 2 and he’s a former Olympian. He’s a former silver medallist at the world championships, too, but at my A game no one beats me.”
Parker’s confidence stems in part from a professional record of 20-0, with 14 KO’s. Most recently, he impressed on his Queensberry debut when he dominated Vaughn Alexander and blasted the previously unfinished man out in just two rounds.
Zach is aware of the importance of such showings, especially now he has the support of a platform the size of BT.
“I want to get everyone excited about me, even more than after the Vaughn Alexander fight” said Parker, adding ominously: “I’m planning another knockout.”
“Every performance I want to be my best and with these sort of opponents I’ll perform better. The better the opponent, the better I’ll perform.”
“I know my own ability; I know what I can do in the ring. I just need to show everyone now.
“I’m with BT and Frank Warren, it’s my time now and I can’t wait.”
