Parker's fight with Takam is yet to be confirmed but is an eliminator to find the mandatory challenger who must be given a title shot at the winner of Martin-Joshua (or the champion can be stripped of his belt).
But can he beat Takam, ranked No 5 by the IBF and WBC and No 6 by the WBO? Few in these parts have heard of him but the 35-year-old is built like a fire station, can give and receive power shots, has had twice as many fights as Parker and more quality opponents.
His one defeat, apart from a loss by decision to a journeyman early in his 36-fight career, was to Povetkin who knocked him out after one of the fights of the year in 2014. It was a slugfest which Povetkin settled with a vicious right-left combination in the ninth round and another in the 10th to drop Takam cold.
Parker's last opponent, Jason Bergman, rated Parker ahead of Wilder (with whom Bergman has sparred) but behind Povetkin (also a sparring partner). Bergman would not repeat his assessment of Wilder on camera, probably because he wants to keep his options open with the WBC champ.
Povetkin had the edge because Bergman felt he could see most of Parker's punches coming whereas Povetkin was far harder to read. "Parker's right there with Povetkin, the difference is that you don't see Povetkin coming. He's so quick and tight and smooth."
That analysis is interesting as Bergman's game plan against Parker was essentially defensive, covering up and waiting for Parker to tire. It's way easier to read punches if you are not throwing much yourself.
Parker will have a height, reach and speed advantage while the heavier-set Takam is a pressure fighter who banks on power shots delivered courtesy of a tough chin withstanding what his opponent throws at him as he gets in range to score. In their bout, Takam rocked Povetkin once - and the Russian had never been down before his resounding defeat by former champ Klitschko in 2013.
If Parker can throw combinations, as Povetkin did to close the door against Takam, he can win. Few fighters, no matter how iron their chin, can withstand the destructive power of combinations delivered effectively.
Takam has beaten some of the same foes as Parker (he fought and TKO'd veteran South African Frans Botha a year before Parker did and KO'd Brazilian heavyweight Marcelo Luiz Nascimento last year, about 12 months after Parker stopped him).
But Takam has also fought well-performed boxers such as Cuba's Mike Perez (only two losses in 24 bouts, including one to Povetkin). Perez drew with Takam, although most thought Takam had won. He also beat the ageing but still dangerous US heavyweight Tony Thompson, who fought (and lost) twice against Klitschko.
If he can stay out of trouble (Takam has 25 knockouts in his 33 wins), Parker's greater skills could prevail. Even if he doesn't, it isn't necessarily the end of the world. Povetkin has come back strongly after going the distance with Klitschko but looking outmatched against the much bigger man who tired him by leaning on him and had him down four times, a lesson the 2.01m Wilder will have noted.
Takam himself has to take this fight to get back into contention after being floored by Povetkin - and Parker is only 24 and well able to work his way back into calculations.
Predictions for the big four fights: Martin to beat Joshua; Wilder to beat Povetkin; Parker to beat Takam and Klitschko to beat Fury.
