Joseph Parker VS Kyotaro Fujimoto [01-08] - *Not Happening*

[K1power]

Joseph Parker to fight Japan's Kyotaro Fujimoto in Invercargill

Joseph Parker is set to fight the Japanese heavyweight champion in his next assignment in Invercargill on August 1.

Parker had few problems advancing his professional record to 14 wins from 14 bouts when he stopped German champion Yakup 'The Scorpion' Saglam in the second round in Palmerston North on Saturday night.

Duco Events representative Dean Lonergan said a deal was all but done for Parker to fight Japan's Kyotaro Fujimoto in Invercargill in his next bout.

www.stuff.co.nz/sport/other-sports/69370781/joseph-parker-to-fight-japans-kyotaro-fujimoto-in-invercargill

Popular opinion seems to be that Kyotaro is in way over his head here.

I hope he somehow pulls off a win, but if he loses I wonder what's next for him.

[h]

haven't seen this Parker guy before. but being 14 for 14 isn't something to ignore.

[themagi]

www.boxingscene.com/joseph-parker-eyes-new-opponent-fujimoto-takes-off--92678

Kyotaro was in deep, and I think he knew it.

[K1power]

Perhaps a wise decision if he was doomed to lose, upsets in boxing are not that common.

I find it funny that Parker's management calls Fujimoto gutless when they were the ones picking him as a stepping stone for Parker to easily beat.

[themagi]

Could be worse though.

Kyotaro may have signed for the fight, trained his backside off, arrived at the fight's destination, conquered the jetlag and turned up for the press conference only to then be informed that his opponent had deemed Kyotaro's aura of familial atmosphere insufficent at just 24 hours notice so therefore he simply HAD to be scratched from the card.

But that would never happen, would it?

[K1power]

To be replaced by Kimbo Slice, the Oborotov of boxing..?

[h]

WAR KIMBO! err.

[h]

kyotaro shoulda just claimed a bowling injury...

[K1power]

Sources in Japan explain why Kyotaro broke off talks with Joseph Parker, had talks with Wilder!

Back in June we reported that a very interesting Heavyweight clash between Japan's Kyotaro Fujimoto (12-1, 6) and fast rising Kiwi Joseph Parker (14-0, 12) was looking likely to be announced for August and was deep in talks. Since then the talks have broken down, massively, with Fujimoto's team walking away from the table, much to the annoyance of Parker's team, who have seen their man sign up to fight Bowie Tupou (25-3, 17) for a small collection of titles, including the OPBF belt.

Kyotaro's move away from the negotiating table was seen as a spineless move by Parker and his team who made it clear that they thought the Japanese fighter had "run off scared".

According to a Japanese source earlier today things weren't as clear as that for Kyotaro who wasn't just in talks with Parker. In fact Kyotaro was in talks for a much bigger bout, one with historic implications.

The source in question has informed us that Kyotaro was in talks to face WBC Heavyweight world champion Deontay Wilder (34-0, 33), with the Japanese fighter trying to make the most of his #15 WBC world ranking.

Boxing fans have known for a while that Wilder is set to return to the ring in the coming months before facing a mandatory with Alexander Povetkin (29-1, 21) in a mandatory title defense later in the year. Kyotaro was hoping to be the opponent that would get a shot at Wilder before the mandatory was due and his name was thrown into the hat alongside that of Lucas Browne (22-0, 19) and others.

At the moment Wilder's opponent hasn't yet been announced for his up coming bout, though a date of September 26th has been set for it with the bout to air on NBC in the US. It does, however, sound like Kyotaro has been ruled out, unless an injury occurs in which case he will be considered as a back up opponent. If he manages to get the shot, some how, then he would become the first Japanese born fighter to fight for a Heavyweight world title, and only the second Japanese licensed fighter to do so, after who fought Oleg Maskaev for the WBC title in 2006.

www.asianboxing.info/asian-news/sources-in-japan-explain-why-kyotaro-broke-off-talks-with-joseph-parker-had-talks-with-wilder

Kyotaro taking on Wilder would be -or rather would have been from the looks of it- huge. I mean, Wilder probably would knock Kyotaro out, but someone from kickboxing even being able to challenge a big name in boxing like that is rare.

[h]

that woulda been crazy lol.

[themagi]

Wilder has got France's Johann Duhaupaus on 26/9. Expect him to vacate after that or the WBC will find some kind of loophole within their notoriously porous rulebook to delay Wilder's mandatory defense against Alexander Povetkin. Wilder has already been quoted as saying that in order to fight Povetkin, the Russian must provide satisfactory blood AND sperm samples for the bout to be possible.