Joseph Parker still hoping for rematch with Dillian Whyte

Joseph Parker and Dillian Whyte met in a pivotal heavyweight showdown back in July 2018, with Parker having just come off a decision loss to Anthony Joshua, where the New Zealander dropped his WBO title to AJ, and Whyte in the midst of a good run since his own loss to Joshua in 2015.

It may, in fact, be the best win of Whyte’s career to date, and it didn’t come easy. Parker was down in the second and ninth rounds, but stayed in the fight and dropped Whyte in the 12th, with Whyte barely hanging on to finish the fight and pick up a decision win on scores of 113-112, 114-111, and 115-110.

The two have had some words in the press since then, and that continues. Whyte recently criticized Parker for not fighting credible opponents, which is honestly fair enough given Parker’s three fights since the loss to Whyte, and Parker figures Whyte is simply “agitated” and has challenged him to “loosen up and just relax.”

From Sky Sports:

“Dillian and I have history with the fight that we had and obviously I want a rematch, and I think that’s probably the reason why he’s getting a bit agitated. I’m calling him out and saying I can beat you. But I see it as quite funny coming from him. I don’t know if he can loosen up himself, and if he can dance, and if he has moves. I just don’t know. If he sees this, it’s a challenge to see if he can loosen up and just relax.”

Parker (27-2, 21 KO) has won his last three, but again, the opposition has been pretty lousy, if we’re being honest. Whyte (27-1, 18 KO), meanwhile, has had a date with Alexander Povetkin pushed from May 2 to July 4 and now into late July or early August, when promoter Eddie Hearn will put the fight on behind closed doors.

If Whyte wins that fight, he’s been pushing to get his WBC title shot, which the sanctioning body have promised by early 2021. He’s said he’s ready to fight Tyson Fury whenever, especially if Deontay Wilder can’t do a third fight immediately.