Barry wants ‘real Joe’ to do talking
Boxing trainer Kevin Barry has revealed his to-do list for Joseph Parker if a heavyweight unification bout is organised with Britain’s Anthony Joshua for March or April.
Parker holds the WBO belt, while Joshua is the WBA and IBF champion. American Deontay Wilder has the WBC title. All three are unbeaten.
Parker’s last fight was a victory over Britain’s Hughie Fury in September. Joshua’s promoters are aiming to set up fights with Parker, Wilder and Tyson Fury so he can become the undisputed heavyweight champion. The division was last unified in July 2011 when Wladimir Klitschko defeated David Haye at Hamburg.
Barry told Newstalk ZB’s Tony Veitch yesterday he wants more aggression in Parker’s pre-fight talk.
“When Conor McGregor fought Floyd Mayweather, he didn’t make his money being respectful and polite.
“At every opportunity, he insulted and abused him because that sells pay-per-views. People need to differentiate between the ‘real Joe’ and the ‘Joe doing business’.
“We need Joe to talk in the media, but not so much the New Zealand media — it’s all about British media.”
Barry was asked if that meant trash-talking.
“I don’t think there’s a lot of that. What Joe’s saying is ‘hey, I want the fight, I back my own chin, I’ve never been down in the amateur ranks, I’ve never been down as a professional, I’ve never been dropped in the gym’.”
Barry described Joshua as a “money magnet”.
The 28-year-old filled out Cardiff’s Principality Stadium and London’s Wembley Stadium in his last two bouts.
“The guy puts bums on seat, but he has a lot of flaws. He’s stiff and robotic, but also big and powerful with a sledgehammer right hand.
“There are openings in his defence and he was knocked out in the amateur ranks, knocked out in sparring, and his chin is not as good as Joseph Parker’s.
“However, he has a cannon of a right hand. If Joe was moving away in a fight, it’d play into his hands. Joe has to step to the fire and back his speed.”
Barry also had a couple of other preparation tips for Parker.
“His weight was wrong by at least 10 pounds [4.5kg] in the last couple of fights. I don’t want Joe to have such a sweet tooth.
“When he’s bigger, it slows his foot and hand speed. I need him at about 106kg-107kg [233-236 pounds]. I need him mobile because that makes him a harder target. I want him throwing 50-60 punches a round. He needs to be lighter to do that, and I want his hands up higher.”
I want him throwing 50-60 punches a round. He needs to be lighter.
Kevin Barry on Joseph Parker