TYSON FURY has revealed Joseph Parker is waiting in the wings and will step in to fight the Gypsy King if Dillian Whyte pulls out of the bout at the eleventh hour.
The pair have agreed to “throw down” – despite Parker insisting in January he would NEVER fight Fury.
The heavyweights are good friends, with former WBO title holder Parker one of Fury’s main training partners in Morecambe in recent months.
But plans are now in place for the pals to face off in the ring in the event of Whyte withdrawing from Saturday’s battle of Britain bout.
Fury told IFL TV: “If this idiot pulls out then we’ve got a really tasty step in, don’t you worry about that.
“And we’ve said ‘Listen it’s not personal, strictly business’.
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“If this fight happens we’ve shook hands and agreed, then we’re gonna throw down.”
There are perhaps fears from the Fury camp that Whyte could back out of the fight after he failed to appear at a press conference launching the clash.
The pair are finally set to come face-to-face this afternoon in what promises to be an explosive press conference.
But Fury has insisted Parker is also ready and raring to go if it comes to it.
He added: “Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that, because I want to fight Dillian Whyte. But if it does, we’re professional athletes, we’re professional businessmen.
“We understand the risks and rewards. And I’m sure whoever wins we’ll have a beer afterwards and shake hands.
“It’s only a boxing match. It’s not serious, or personal.”
Parker is currently the second ranked heavyweight in the WBO rankings, and third in the WBC standings.
And despite causing some surprise with his choice of stand-in, Fury insisted a bout between the friends would be an “excellent fight”.
He said: “If Dillian Whyte doesn’t fight, I don’t want no rookie bum – I want a top fighting man. I’ve stated it, and that’s it.”
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He added: “Joseph Parker is the stand-in opponent for the fight. And if Dillian Whyte does pull out, I’ll pad Joe for the fight, and then I’ll fight him.
“It would be an excellent fight, Joe’s a former heavyweight world champion, and high rated in all the organisations.”
