"You have to question what's going on behind the scenes for a rushed eliminator and the way it was put to us."
As it stands, the IBF heavyweight title is currently held by unified champion Oleksandr Usyk, who also holds the WBO, IBO and WBA belts. Should Parker take the Hrgovic fight, even as a mandatory challenge it could be a long wait before the winner finally got their shot at the belt.
A bout against Hrgovic (14-0) would be high risk, low reward for Parker (30-2) given the probable wait for the winner, as Hrgovic is yet to score wins against fighters at the same level as Parker's resume - which includes wins over former unified champion Andy Ruiz Jr, Derek Chisora and Carlos Takam.
Reports out of the US suggest Cuban heavyweight Luis Ortiz already turned down the offer to fight Hrgovic in a title eliminator, which was made after his knockout win over Charles Martin last weekend, leading to Parker getting the offer.
Parker is no longer under contract with Matchroom Boxing after completing his latest one-fight contract, but Higgins said their past dealings with Matchroom had been good and they would consider any offer that comes across the table from them in regards to the Hrgovic fight. However, he indicated it would have to be a good offer is sway Parker and his camp.
"They need to put a formal offer on the table, and it needs to be a s***-ton, really," Higgins said.
"We've done some good business and we respect Matchroom and Eddie Hearn, but I would suggest if they do want to put an offer on the table, it needs to be relative to how much the broadcasters are paying. If you've got DAZN paying $10m US, don't come offering us $1m. We'll see what happens.
"Joseph has earned his place in the rankings and a worldwide profile. He has a lot of good victories on his resume...Hrgovic is yet to do that. Hrgovic is a great prospect but he's a relatively unknown name in the world of boxing and so our job is to weigh up the risk-return."
The discussion puts Parker at somewhat of a crossroads, as his team had a strategy meeting after the Chisora fight in which they decided it was the right time to try and break into the American market.
Parker is already a household name in Oceania and the UK, and with something of a logjam in the run for the world titles, it would be the perfect time to seek fights with the likes of Deontay Wilder and Andy Ruiz Jr on American soil.
Few current heavyweights have been able to break into the major markets in both the UK and the US, with only Tyson Fury having that level of success. Former unified champion Anthony Joshua has fought just once in the US, and he lost his titles to Ruiz Jr.
Should the offer to fight Hrgovic not be worth the risk, Parker and his team could very well opt to look for bigger fights in the US while the title picture becomes clearer.
"A fight with Parker and Andy Ruiz or Wilder, they would be blockbusters and both have big names unlike Hrgovic. So, there's a lot to be weighed up," Higgins said.
"All in all, building Joseph in the United States with some solid wins over Americans is very attractive."
