Here's why Joseph Parker could fight Hughie Fury next

When the World Boxing Organisation (WBO) sanctioned Joseph Parker's fight against Andy Ruiz Jr as a heavyweight world title fight for the vacant belt, they installed Englishman David Haye as the mandatory challenger.

Haye was to fight the winner of Parker v Ruiz Jr within 120 days, but instead has elected to fight English cruiserweight Tony Bellew. The pair, who don't like each other, have already indulged in blood-letting, a feud which will boost pay per view sales in their country and help make both a lot of money.

For Haye, a former world title holder at cruiserweight, the Bellew fight is an easier prospect than one against Parker. It will also probably be more lucrative, as the purse will be a more even split.

The mandatory is now likely to move to the next man on the WBO's list, Hughie Fury. Wladimir Klitschko, ranked No1 by the organisation, is out of the equation for the moment as he has just made a mega-fight at Wembley Stadium against IBF champion Anthony Joshua for April 29.

Fury is 22, undefeated, the same height as Joshua and Klitschko (1.98m, five centimetres taller than Parker), and would probably represent a relatively comfortable night in the ring for Parker.

Listen: Dean Lonergan talks to the Radio Sport Breakfast

It is a fight which could happen in New Zealand - and potentially under the roof at Dunedin's stadium - or in the United Kingdom. Parker's handlers Duco Events have entered into an alliance with American promoters Top Rank, but the fight is unlikely to be held in the United States because Fury isn't a big enough name there.

If Parker beats Fury in March or April then he will probably have one or two fights at a slightly lower level than Fury. Two names which immediately come to mind are Dillian Whyte and Dereck Chisora, two Englishmen who fought a blockbusting main undercard fight to Joshua's main even against Eric Molina in Manchester yesterday.

Hughie Fury. photo / Getty

Whyte won by split decision, and a re-match has already been talked about after the pair delivered on the hype of the table-throwing build-up. A fight for Parker against either of those men in London or Manchester would lift his profile enormously in the UK, a key aim as Duco Events build towards what they have referred to as the "holy grail" of a pay per view broadcast in two countries.

"What we need to do now is make Joseph a massive star in England in particular, because that's the hotbed of boxing," said Duco's Dean Lonergan this morning.

Parker lost his mandatory challenge position to Joshua's IBF title after becoming WBO champion, but a unifying fight between two title-holders takes precedence over mandatories anyway.

The WBC champion Deontay Wilder, who has been carefully managed throughout his career, is unlikely to want to know about a fight against Parker. Lonergan, said of American Wilder, who is returning from injury: "I don't think Deontay Wilder will step up to the plate and fight Joseph because Joseph is the young lion and he's dangerous, and Wilder hasn't got the greatest chin."

Heavyweight champions

WBO champion: Joseph Parker (Age: 24) (Record: 22-0)
IBF champion: Anthony Joshua (27) (18-0)
WBC champion: Deontay Wilder (31) (37-0)
WBA champion: Vacant

WBO rankings:

Champion: Joseph Parker
1. Wladimir Klitschko
2. David Haye
3. Hughie Fury
4. Jarrell Miller
5. David Price