I’m clean: Joshua hits back at Parker
Anthony Joshua has hit back at Joseph Parker’s steroid jab, declaring himself clean and warning against the dangers of doping in boxing.
Earlier in the week Parker responded to being taunted as “the King of Pies” by Anthony Joshua on BBC television’s The Graham Norton Show by suggesting Joshua might be “the king of steroids”.
Parker quickly back-tracked, admitting he had taken things “a bit too far” and apologising. The doping subject was inevitably raised with Joshua by reporters when the pair of world champions fronted a London media conference to promote their unification fight in Cardiff on March 31.
“I’ve heard so much in boxing trash talk that nothing’s new anymore, can I sue him?” Joshua jokingly fired back at reporters. “A lot of things used to bother me, seven or eight years ago. It takes a lot more to get to me now. Still savage, but I’m more mentally focused now.
“I know my records are clean, that’s why I don’t bite at it.
“It is what it is. If I’m not clean, you’ll find out this fight. If I haven’t been clean for all my other fights, you’ll see me struggle against Parker because anything I have been taking will be out of my system.
“You’ll find out in this fight whether I’m the super-human or I’ve got something pushing on this super-human power that he claims I have.”
Joshua admitted the aggressive approach taken by Team Parker over the last couple of months had surprised and confused him. Parker admitted the taunts about Joshua’s “glass chin” had been used for a purpose and now the fight was scheduled, he was looking forward to concentrating on his training and game plan.
“There were a few comments that went a bit too far but everything we did as a team leading up to this made it possible for us to lock in this big fight. Now we leave that aside and show a lot of respect and now it’s time for the fighters to do their work.-