Parker-Takam fighting an IBF eliminator on May 21st

[johnswan1]

Means the winner will become mandatory challenger to what would presumably be AJ's IBF title.

Could mean we get to see AJ-Parker before the end of the year?

[jameswilson]

Eliminator or final eliminator?

[PredatorHayds]

Really see this as a 50/50 fight.

Got a sense that Parker is a bit overhyped. I'd edge him on points in a tight one.

[thatllbeme]

Pulev v Chisora is also an eliminator I think

[Wales]

Got a sense that Parker is a bit overhyped.

Agree. Nobody knew of him, then he was getting mentioned by hardcore fans as "have you seen...." now hes the most known unknown HW on the planet. Ive been less impressed more Ive seen of him.

Lets see how he deals with Takam, whilst not eliet he's a hell of a step up from his opponents to date

[crusader]

Got a sense that Parker is a bit overhyped.

Agree. Nobody knew of him, then he was getting mentioned by hardcore fans as "have you seen...." now hes the most known unknown HW on the planet. Ive been less impressed more Ive seen of him.

Lets see how he deals with Takam, whilst not eliet he's a hell of a step up from his opponents to date

Which fights have made you progressively less impressed? Do you think he'll lose to a solid contender like Takam? I've seen quite a bit of doubt expressed about him (the OP even claimed he was just another Tye Fields and of course there have already been 2 suggestions in the first 5 posts that he's overhyped), so I'm not sure if he's generally considered anything special, though he seems to have a deserved reputation for being exciting.

Looking forward to this

[davie]

I don't know how long AJ would be allowed (providing of course he wins the title) without taking a mandatory.
But I can see the winner of Pulev v Chisora (Pulev then) fight the winner of Parker vs Takam in a final eliminator to face the IBF champion.

Out of all of those names there are some interesting matchups to be made. Add in other IBF ranked names like Helenius, Stiverne and Haye and I think I could enjoy the next couple years watching the fate of that particular title. I don't consider any of those guys top 3 or 4 in the world, which makes a bit of a mockery of what I just said but it certainly throws up some intriguing match ups

[tigermoth87]

I think Takam takes this. He's an underrated fighter imo.

[Andrew]

Eliminator or final eliminator?

As far as I'm aware it's final.

[Stuarty]

Eliminator or final eliminator?

As far as I'm aware it's final.

That's what I thought. AJ will probably have to face the winner near the end of the year all going well.

[Wales]

Got a sense that Parker is a bit overhyped.

Agree. Nobody knew of him, then he was getting mentioned by hardcore fans as "have you seen...." now hes the most known unknown HW on the planet. Ive been less impressed more Ive seen of him.

Lets see how he deals with Takam, whilst not eliet he's a hell of a step up from his opponents to date

Which fights have made you progressively less impressed? Do you think he'll lose to a solid contender like Takam? I've seen quite a bit of doubt expressed about him (the OP even claimed he was just another Tye Fields and of course there have already been 2 suggestions in the first 5 posts that he's overhyped), so I'm not sure if he's generally considered anything special, though he seems to have a deserved reputation for being exciting.

Looking forward to this

Its not a single fight thats made me "less impressed". Just lack of any decent opposition and marked progress i guess, that compounded by the initial excitment and hype when he was a real find and the HW division was screaming out for a star. I think he's still considered something special, and the Takam fight will tell us a lot more.

Great fight, and a good performance shunts him right into the mix.

[davie]

I think Takam takes this. He's an underrated fighter imo.

I certainly give him a good shot.
Takam, as you say is solid and under rated probably by many.
Parker on the other hand is still to prove he's the real deal and like AJ, might yet prove to be a hype job, hopefully not though.

I'm going to show faith in the fresh young exciting talent and say I fancy him to win but this will be a real test of where he's at

[Starboxer]

The hw scene is is looking hot



I pick Parker to win

[Starboxer]

Didnt fury give takam a serious pasting in a noholds barred sparring session ?

[afcmarshall]

Eliminator or final eliminator?

As far as I'm aware it's final.

That's what I thought. AJ will probably have to face the winner near the end of the year all going well.

If I remember rightly doesn't the belt have to have a mandatory within a year even if the belt changes hands? If it does then who ever has the belt would have to face a mandatory by the 16th Jan 2017

[Stuarty]

As far as I'm aware it's final.

That's what I thought. AJ will probably have to face the winner near the end of the year all going well.

If I remember rightly doesn't the belt have to have a mandatory within a year even if the belt changes hands? If it does then who ever has the belt would have to face a mandatory by the 16th Jan 2017

Yeah that's right. The fight would probably be made for December then I'd imagine if everyone's fit etc...

[Wales]

Agree. Nobody knew of him, then he was getting mentioned by hardcore fans as "have you seen...." now hes the most known unknown HW on the planet. Ive been less impressed more Ive seen of him.

Lets see how he deals with Takam, whilst not eliet he's a hell of a step up from his opponents to date

Which fights have made you progressively less impressed? Do you think he'll lose to a solid contender like Takam? I've seen quite a bit of doubt expressed about him (the OP even claimed he was just another Tye Fields and of course there have already been 2 suggestions in the first 5 posts that he's overhyped), so I'm not sure if he's generally considered anything special, though he seems to have a deserved reputation for being exciting.

Looking forward to this

Its not a single fight thats made me "less impressed". Just lack of any decent opposition and marked progress i guess, that compounded by the initial excitment and hype when he was a real find and the HW division was screaming out for a star. I think he's still considered something special, and the Takam fight will tell us a lot more.

Great fight, and a good performance shunts him right into the mix.

maybe I've just subliminally got something against Parker, but he didn't go up in my estimations following the performance last weekend. Eddie Hearn should, and I think will, do everything he can to make the Parker fight next for AJ.

[foxdog1923]

Which fights have made you progressively less impressed? Do you think he'll lose to a solid contender like Takam? I've seen quite a bit of doubt expressed about him (the OP even claimed he was just another Tye Fields and of course there have already been 2 suggestions in the first 5 posts that he's overhyped), so I'm not sure if he's generally considered anything special, though he seems to have a deserved reputation for being exciting.

Looking forward to this

Its not a single fight thats made me "less impressed". Just lack of any decent opposition and marked progress i guess, that compounded by the initial excitment and hype when he was a real find and the HW division was screaming out for a star. I think he's still considered something special, and the Takam fight will tell us a lot more.

Great fight, and a good performance shunts him right into the mix.

maybe I've just subliminally got something against Parker, but he didn't go up in my estimations following the performance last weekend. Eddie Hearn should, and I think will, do everything he can to make the Parker fight next for AJ.

Maybe your estimations were too high for Parker. Parker Joshua looking to happen near the end of the year. Parker fighting again in 6 weeks against Haumono and Joshua's got Breazeale where both fighters should come through victors but first things first.

[crusader]

Which fights have made you progressively less impressed? Do you think he'll lose to a solid contender like Takam? I've seen quite a bit of doubt expressed about him (the OP even claimed he was just another Tye Fields and of course there have already been 2 suggestions in the first 5 posts that he's overhyped), so I'm not sure if he's generally considered anything special, though he seems to have a deserved reputation for being exciting.

Looking forward to this

Its not a single fight thats made me "less impressed". Just lack of any decent opposition and marked progress i guess, that compounded by the initial excitment and hype when he was a real find and the HW division was screaming out for a star. I think he's still considered something special, and the Takam fight will tell us a lot more.

Great fight, and a good performance shunts him right into the mix.

maybe I've just subliminally got something against Parker, but he didn't go up in my estimations following the performance last weekend. Eddie Hearn should, and I think will, do everything he can to make the Parker fight next for AJ.

How highly did you rank him before?

A fair victory over a top 10ish guy (Takam has a dominant win over Thompson, should've had a win over Perez, and was even with Povetkin going into the 9th) is a very solid result, especially considering how big of a jump in class it was. Parker is very young and has plenty of time to get better as well, so it's a promising sign that he can already get a win that stacks up to pretty much anything that has recently been accomplished in the division.

I don't really get the people who go on about Parker being a hype job (not necessarily you), which is a label I've regularly seen ascribed to him over the last few months. Apart from the typical stuff that comes from each fighter's promotional team and some local media, I don't see many people, and certainly not many hardcore fans, suggesting that he's going to blow through all the top fighters or rule the division for years. I think he's a promising fighter with a good shot of regularly operating in the top ten, and I don't believe that's an unreasonable view.