It is the ultimate fashion accessory for Joseph Parker and Andy Ruiz. The pair will slug it out for the title in Auckland next month.
Parker’s promoters, Duco, have decided to take the belt on tour and it will be at Burger King on Andersons Bay Rd at noon on November 25. The belt will do the rounds in the North Island two days earlier.
The title was vacated by Briton Tyson Fury, who is battling depression and has not fought since November when he defeated Wladimir Klitschko to claim the WBA, IBF and WBO titles.
Parker (24), who was born in Auckland, has a professional record of 21-0 and will be the first New Zealander to contest a world heavyweight title since David Tua was comprehensively outboxed by Lennox Lewis 16 years ago.
His opponent, Ruiz (27), is unbeaten in 29 fights and the bout, scheduled for Vector Arena on December 10, promises to deliver boxing fans an even contest. Both fighters have lightning-quick hand speed and hit hard.
Parker has 18 wins by KO, while Ruiz, an American of Mexican descent, goes by the nickname "The Destroyer" and has stacked up 19 KOs.
