Joe Joyce vs. Joseph Parker Approved To Have Interim WBO Title On The Line

Joe Joyce and Joseph Parker’s heavyweight fight just got a bit bigger.

According to BoxingScene, the Joyce-Parker fight on September 24 in Manchester, England will have the interim WBO heavyweight title up for grabs. A joint request filed on August 23 by Queensberry Promotions and BOXXER—promoters for Joyce and Parker, respectively—was approved by the WBO, according to the report.

“The WBO Championship Committee… grants sanction approval of the Interim Heavyweight Championship between Joe Joyce and Joseph Parker subject to the conditions stated herein,” WBO Championship Committee chairman Luis Batista-Salas noted in a ruling reached on Monday and submitted Tuesday evening to all involved parties via letter, a copy of which was obtained by BoxingScene.com. “Joe Joyce and Joseph Parker understand, agree, and accept all the conditions stated herein and any other provisions hereinafter established by this Committee as a condition to granting sanction approval for the Interim Championship Contest.

“If Joe Joyce and/or Joseph Parker suffer(s) an injury that prevents his participation, is prevented to participate, impaired to participate, or unavailable to participate for whatever reasons in the Interim Championship bout, WBO Championship Committee shall proceed per WBO Regulations of World Championship Contests.”

Joe Joyce (14-0) last fought back in July when he scored a fourth-round TKO win over Christian Hammer and before that, TKO’d Carlos Takam. The biggest win of his career came against Daniel Dubois who he KO’d in November of 2020. Against Parker, Joyce will also be defending the WBC Silver heavyweight title as well as competing for the interim strap.

Joseph Parker (30-2) is coming off back-to-back wins over Derek Chisora last December and May as he won both fights by decision. He’s currently on a six-fight winning streak after losing two fights in a row to Dillian Whyte by decision and dropped a decision to Anthony Joshua for his first career loss.

Who do you think will win, Joe Joyce or Joseph Parker?