Where will Joe Joyce and Joseph Parker go after Saturday’s heavyweight clash?

Joseph Parker and Joe Joyce are set to do battle in a heavyweight clash in Manchester on Saturday night.

Parker is a former heavyweight champion of the world, while Joyce is still looking to achieve that status for the very first time.

With the WBO interim belt on the line, there is plenty at stake as the two fighters look to maneuver themselves into a position to fight for the full title.

The New Zealander has two defeats on his record but has impressed in recent fights, while Joyce is unbeaten but still steps up in class by fighting Parker.

Does he pass this acid test with flying colours, or has he bitten off more than he can chew?

Sports mail analyzes how both men are shaping up heading into the match and what victory and defeat will mean for the pair.

Parker looks rejuvenated under Andy Lee

Parker’s two losses came in the space of four months in 2018 when he was outpointed by Anthony Joshua and then Dillian Whyte.

He bounced back to win his next four fights – three inside the distance – but they were against limited opposition and his career appeared to be stagnating.

Something had to change, and Parker made a big decision to ditch long-term coach Kevin Barry to work with Andy Lee instead.

Lee, a former world champion in his own fighting days, was tasked with getting Parker firing again and their first match together saw the Kiwi go up against Derek Chisora.

Things could hardly have gotten off to a worse start as Parker went down in the opening seconds of the first round after taking a looping shot to the top of the head.

But with Lee in his corner, Parker gradually worked his way back into the contest and was eventually awarded a split decision victory.

Some observers believed that Chisora ​​should have received the nod, and the jury was out on Parker and Lee’s partnership at this point.

A rematch was scheduled for December 2021, which Parker needed to win more convincingly against the aging Chisora ​​to prove he can be a force on the world stage.

From the off, he was more aggressive, taking the fight to Chisora ​​and putting him on the back foot. He knocked the Brit down three times en route to a unanimous decision victory.

Notably, Parker looked fresher than in his previous fights, and the many knockdowns showed him planting his feet more and putting some significant power behind his punches.

Lee deserves credit for getting Parker in top form and encouraging the 30-year-old to show his mean side. If he continues to fight like this against Joyce, the Briton is in for a very difficult evening.

Sink or swim for Joyce

Joyce has never been the prettiest fighter to watch, but his style has been more than good enough to fend off his 14 professional opponents to date.

Despite not appearing particularly fast or elusive, he has still beaten former world champion Bermane Stiverne, as well as former title challengers Bryant Jennings, Alexander Ustinov and Carlos Takam.

However, it was his victory over domestic rival Daniel Dubois in 2020 that was the most impressive of his career to date.

Many fans believed that the hard-hitting Dubois would have too much for Joyce, but the latter’s granite chin stood in the way of his opponent’s punches and he wore down Dubois over time before stopping him in the 10th round.

So far, Joyce has relied on his strength and toughness to get by, giving up rounds along the way, and it’s worked for him.

However, some continue to doubt him as they feel his limitations will catch up with him when he faces world-class opposition.

Which brings us neatly to Parker. He has been on the top table for some time, going the distance with Joshua and Whyte while beating Andy Ruiz Jr. and Chisora.

He should be the first world-class fighter Joyce has faced as a professional and should provide the answer to whether or not the Juggernaut can cut it at the highest level.

Where does the victor go next?

The winner will take home an interim title and likely move up the heavyweight rankings.

Will they win a world title next? It is complicated.

Oleksandr Usyk is the current WBO champion and also holds the WBA ‘Super’ and IBF belts, but has stated that he does not want to fight again in 2022 to spend time with his family after beating Anthony Joshua last month.

He has also claimed that he will fight Deontay Wilder when he returns to the ring in early 2023.

Meanwhile, Tyson Fury is the other champion in the division and looks set to fight Joshua in December in a big domestic showdown.

Should he come through and Usyk beats Wilder, the next logical fight would see the Gypsy King take on Usyk in an undisputed fight that would likely take place next summer.

Therefore, the winner of Joyce and Parker may have to bide their time and take a ‘keep busy’ fight while they wait for a title opportunity to present itself.

But there’s also a chance the aforementioned contests don’t materialize and a title shot comes next for Joyce or Parker.

Wilder will only have to get past Robert Helenius when he returns to the ring next month, and that is not a foregone conclusion.

Should Wilder lose, the fight with Usyk goes out the window, while if he wins, there is a clash with Ruiz Jr. Wilder may want to get another fight under his belt after an extended layoff before challenging Usyk.

If this is the case, Joyce or Parker could step in to take on Usyk early next year.

What happens to the loser?

Having just turned 37, time is not on Joyce’s side. Losing to Parker would likely end his title hopes in the short term, but there could still be some exciting matchups out there for him.

A rematch with Dubois could be on the cards, especially as the 25-year-old now holds the WBA (Regular) belt after beating Trevor Bryan earlier this year.

While this is not a full title, it would still be a belt to add to Joyce’s collection and this would also give him the opportunity to prove beyond doubt that he is better than Dubois by beating him again.

A clash with Joshua could also be a possibility. If the Fury fight goes ahead and AJ loses, he would be coming off a three-fight losing streak, while Joyce would also be on the comeback trail.

Joshua claimed earlier this year that he would knock Joyce out in one round if they ever fought as professionals.

The former GB teammates have a long history and it could be time for them to settle their differences in the ring in 2023.

For Parker, a defeat would also be a major setback. Although he’s still only 30, a third pro loss would suggest he’s a little short of elite level and will likely push him down the heavyweight pecking order.

However, like Joyce, he could still be involved in some entertaining matches going forward, and rematches could be the way for him to go.

His win over Ruiz Jr in 2016 was a controversial one as he got the majority decision and he may want to ride it back for a more decisive victory.

Another scrap with Whyte may also appeal to Parker. Their first meeting saw Whyte win on all three scorecards, but Parker finished strongly, knocking his opponent down in the final round.

He was also on the receiving end of a harsh call in the second round when he was adjudged to have been knocked down, although replays showed he had fallen to the canvas thanks to a headbutt rather than a punch.

Parker could sense that if he puts his foot on the accelerator earlier and gets a bit luckier with the officiating, he can get the better of Whyte the second time around.