The New Zealand heavyweight boxer Joseph Parker won't be going to the Olympics in Rio in August.
Joseph Parker's win over Carlos Takam means he's the mandatory challenger for the IBF title, but a title fight could still be some way off. Photo: Photosport
The International Amateur Boxing Federation has opened the door for professionals to compete at Rio, but Parker's camp says they've never considered it and their priority is a world title fight.
Promoter Dean Lonergan says Parker has always been fully focussed on winning a professional world title.
Parker is preparing for his next bout against former NRL player Solomon Haumono in Christchurch in July.
All going to plan Parker could get a tilt at Anthony Joshua's IBF heavyweight belt at the end of the year.
Some 26 Olympic spots will be up for grabs when fighters compete at a qualifying tournament in Venezuela next month, with a total of 286 boxers -- 236 men and 50 women set to compete in Rio's boxing events.
AIBA spokesman Nicolas Jomard said there would be no wild cards, with the age limit at 40 for the athletes.
The move has drawn considerable criticism as many argue it would be unfair to amateur boxers who have trained for the Games for years and may now have to make way for the professionals.
Amateur boxing has had its share of Olympic champions who have gone on to become top professionals, among them Muhammad Ali, Joe Frazier, George Foreman, Lennox Lewis, Oscar De La Hoya and Vladimir Klitschko.
