Super-middleweight contender Zach Parker has been saying all of the right things lately, but needs to lure prospective opposition into the ring with him. While an unfortunately-timed broken right hand stifled his momentum and saw John Ryder snatch the shine he’d worked steadily to build himself, the 29-year-old still has a big platform he can benefit from, with more assertive displays.
Parker must put himself in contention again
THAT all starts this weekend against Tyron Zeuge, six months after becoming one of few to stop gamely journeyman Khalid Graidia on his comeback from injury.
David Benavidez, David Morrell and Diego Pacheco are among the names he’s listed as Stateside standouts he wants to face in future, though with little leverage and no title belt either, it’s difficult for business to advance beyond preliminary talks.
He knows the game.
Benavidez and Morrell are both world champions in their own right, the former moving up to light-heavyweight come June against Oleksandr Gvozdyk after being left unsatisfied as undisputed king Canelo Alvarez has pursued a different route.
Pacheco, managed by Matchroom’s Eddie Hearn, is a prospect being primed for the top. Morrell is under the PBC banner and has no real incentive to fight Parker at present, given his own desires and that of his promoter – who seldom do business with Frank Warren’s Queensberry stable.
Among the things Hall of Fame promoter Warren excels at doing, is an ability to manoevure his fighters into favourable positions as far as world rankings are concerned – namely with Anthony Yarde and Daniel Dubois in recent years.
Both are former world title challengers, at different stages of their respective careers, though the general consensus is the opportunity came too soon given a vast range of difficult opposition they didn’t box before venturing to championship level.
Parker respectfully called out Yarde, who boxed later that night on the same bill against unheralded competition in Portugal’s Jorge Silva, and it’d be an easy fight to make on paper between two quality operators within the same stable. However, the 32-year-old’s handlers have other bigger future plans in mind.
Regardless, it’s an encouraging problem to have as long as you don’t mix fight posturing and genuine negotiations for needless spells of inactivity.
Zeuge, who held the WBA world title between 2016-18, marks the Derby man’s second fight in seven months and as we’ve seen recently at heavyweight, an active fighter isn’t just a happy one but confidence directly impacts form too.
Per BoxingScene.com, he said:
“Inactivity hasn’t played the best part because I’ve been injured, but I’m looking to get right back in the mix, wanna get this fight out of the way.
Zeuge’s another step up and I don’t wanna be fighting nobodies anymore, I want to be in with the top lads. You get wiser as you get older and go through things in life, find better ways to do things.”
If he can score an impressive display and stoppage, you never know who might be watching. As far as sanctioning body rankings, he did previously sit #1 with the WBO and has spoken about a readiness to float between two weights – having boxed Graidia at the light-heavy limit rather than super-middle. Jaime Munguia is now top dog in that regard.
Having that versatility can work in your favour at a time of uncertainty across both divisions, given there’s one undisputed king and another should be crowned on June 1 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
The new mecca of boxing, some – him included – have already declared it. Riches, loud fight promotion and most importantly, big bouts are unfolding in the middle East, at a refreshingly rapid rate not seen before.
It’s no surprise Parker hopes to find himself a key part of a bill in the not-too-distant future, but mustn’t wait for his name to be called like so many other contenders have been guilty of. Momentum breeds success, so this weekend in Birmingham should be an interesting one for all concerned.
Magnificent Seven: Birmingham – Card in full
12 rounds
Liam Davies vs. Erik Robles Ayala for IBO world super-bantamweight title
Nathan Heaney (c) vs. Brad Pauls for British middleweight title
10 rounds
Pierce O’Leary vs. Hovhannes Martirosyan for WBC International light-welterweight title
Super-middleweight: Zach Parker vs. Tyron Zeuge
Dennis McCann vs. Brad Strand for British, WBO Inter-Continental super-bantamweight titles
Eithan James vs. Owen Cooper for English, WBO European welterweight titles
Heavyweight: Joe Joyce vs. Kash Ali
Light-heavy: Ezra Taylor vs. Prince Oko Nartey
Picture source: Getty Images, opening picture via Queensberry
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