ZACH PARKER is targeting a move to light-heavyweight in 2024, a division in which he was close to signing for a huge opportunity on the December 23 card in Saudi Arabia.
“I got offered the [Dmitry] Bivol fight but they went with Lyndon Arthur,” Parker told Boxing News. “It was literally going through my lawyers, about to get signed, but it slipped away. It’d have been a nice Christmas present.”
Despite being hit by a number of rapid-fire combinations and going down in the 11th round, Arthur toughed it out. The Mancunian heard the final bell but lost 120-107 on all three scorecards. Parker, meanwhile, has only competed in the light-heavyweight class in bouts over four, six and eight rounds.
Known for his work at 168lbs, Parker suffered disappointment in his most high-profile bout to date, when a broken right hand saw him pulled out after four rounds against John Ryder in November 2022. Parker hasn’t ruled out another run at a super-middleweight belt but accepts he’s slipped down the pecking order. “I see [David] Benavidez as the top guy at super-middleweight at the minute,” he said. “Obviously, Canelo’s got all of the belts [and] he’s going to do his own thing.”
Parker is still upbeat about his future. He eased back to action in September 2023 when, weighing 172lbs, he stopped Khalid Graidia in seven rounds. The 29-year-old, 23-1 (17), could fight in Birmingham in March.
“I want big fights now. I’ve said to my team I want at least top 10 [opponents]. I don’t want to wait around anymore. I’m 30 next year, I want to push on. I want to get a big title under my belt and then compete with the big boys.
“There’s some big fights at light-heavyweight. There’s [Anthony] Yarde. I’ll have any of them. I’m massive for super-middle as it is but I’m gonna go where the money is, where the big fights are.”