After making his professional debut in 1988, he collected minor titles from the WBC and IBF en route to a 22-fight win streak to begin his career.
Consequently, Parks won five consecutive bouts in 1993 to earn another world title fight against Gerald McClellan, but was barred from competing when it was revealed he had contracted HIV.
[2] His father, David, resisted the idea of his son fighting because he was afraid he would get hurt, but he eventually let him train under Silas Epps at the Phillis Wheatley Community Center in 1983.
[2][3][4] David was a former amateur boxer who had to cut his career short due to rheumatic fever; he eventually quit his job at Duke Power to help train his son.
[4] In 1984 he reached the semifinals of a regional Junior Olympic tournament in Sumter, South Carolina,[5] then won a gold medal at the Palmetto State Games.
[2] Parks made his professional debut on October 4, 1988, defeating Lennell Stroman by unanimous decision (UD) in Atlantic City, New Jersey.
[9] He connected with a friend in Memphis, Tennessee, where he met Madison Square Garden promoter Bobby Goodman and was able to secure a one-year deal.
[9] After 16 straight wins to start his career, Parks captured the vacant WBC Continental Americas middleweight title when he scored a UD victory over Lenzie Morgan on July 6, 1991 in his hometown of Greenville, South Carolina.
[13] On April 16, 1992, Parks defeated Percy Harris to retain his NABF belt and win the vacant IBF–USBA middleweight title, forcing a referee stoppage in the tenth round.
[18] On August 10, 1993, Parks defeated Gilbert Baptist in his hometown of Greenville for the vacant WBC Continental Americas middleweight title, forcing his opponent's trainer to throw in the towel in the 11th round after landing 18 straight punches.
[21][22] He was also the mandatory challenger for Roy Jones Jr.'s IBF middleweight title, though they were reportedly reluctant to face each other due to the fact that they were childhood sparring partners and remained good friends.
[23] The Parks–McClellan world title bout was announced as a part of a Don King-promoted card at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas to be held on March 4, 1994,[24][25] with Parks set to make over $150,000.
[26] They were slated to be the main event on a card with five world title bouts,[27] and Parks relocated to Fort Pierce, Florida for training camp in January.
[28] However, he did not travel to Las Vegas because Nevada requested a second test done by their own doctors, so his team fabricated a shoulder injury and pulled him out of the fight.
[37] Randy Gordon, commissioner of the New York State Athletic Commission, said that he hoped the situation increased AIDS awareness in the boxing community and led to more testing requirements.