ZACH PARKER is aiming to move up to light heavyweight in 2024, a division he came close to signing for a big shot on the December 23 card in Saudi Arabia.
“They offered me the [Dmitry] They fought Bivol, but they picked Lyndon Arthur,” Parker told Boxing News. “I was literally going through my lawyers, about to sign it, but he ran away from me. “It would have been a nice Christmas present.”
Despite being hit by a series of rapid combinations and going down in the eleventh round, Arthur held on. The Mancunian heard the final bell but lost 120-107 on all three scorecards. Meanwhile, Parker has only competed in the light heavyweight class in four-, six- and eight-round bouts.
Known for his work at 168 pounds, Parker suffered disappointment in his most notable fight to date, when a broken right hand forced him to withdraw after four rounds against John Ryder in November 2022. Parker has not ruled out another career at a super-middleweight belt, but accepts that he has fallen down the pecking order. “I see [David] “Benavidez as the best super middleweight right now,” he said. “Obviously, Canelo has all the belts. [and] “He’s going to do his thing.”
Parker is still optimistic about his future. He returned to action in September 2023 when, weighing 172 pounds, 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 told my team that I want to at least be in the top 10. [opponents]. I don’t want to wait any longer. I’ll be 30 next year and I want to move on. I want to get a big title under my belt and then compete with the greats.
“There are some important fights at light heavyweight. there is [Anthony] Yard. I’ll take any of them. “I am a great candidate for the super middleweight, but I will go where the money is, where the big fights are.”
