LIVE: Joseph Parker Announces Venue for Upcoming World Title Fight

The venue for Joseph Parker's world boxing championship bid is expected to become public this morning - with no real clue yet on whether Auckland or Dallas will win the day for the highly anticipated bout.

Parker's promoters Duco Events have called a press conference for 11.30am in Auckland with growing speculation it will be to unveil where the December 10 showdown against American-Mexican Andy Ruiz will take place.

For Auckland to have won the nod, Duco will have had to be successful in securing Government funding support. Duco is known to have had several meetings in relation to gaining that support which will need to be a seven-figure sum.

If negotiations have been unsuccessful, the fight is certain to head to Dallas where Ruiz's American promoter Bob Arum has suggested he could get 80,000 fans to turn up to Cowboys Stadium for the fight for the vacant World Boxing Organisation's heavyweight title.

Earlier this week, Duco's Dean Lonergan warned Parker was in danger of losing home advantage for the fight with it "70-80 per cent" likely to be held in the United States rather than Auckland.

The Kiwi supporters of South Aucklander Parker will be disappointed if the bout against Ruiz isn't held in his backyard - with Eden Park, Mt Smart Stadium and Vector Arena all possible venues - but the tight lead-in to the fight, and the ability of Arum to put on a massive event in Dallas could force the hands of Lonergan and business parter David Higgins.

Duco Events, in constant dialogue with the Las Vegas-based Arum, have less than a fortnight to secure seven-figure sponsorship deals, for the fight, which would be the first significant world title fight held in New Zealand. If Parker were to be successful, he would be the first New Zealand-born heavyweight to win the title in the more than 120 years of the division's existence.

- NZ Herald