Split took toll on Parker, says Barry ahead of Fury fight
Joseph Parker’s trainer has revealed he was so concerned about the Kiwi boxer’s mindset in the lead-up to his last fight that he offered him the chance to back out, vowing that the world heavyweight champion would be back to his aggressive best in his UK debut against Hughie Fury.
Kevin Barry’s comments came after Parker’s handlers were forced to deny a fired-up Fury’s claims that they were already looking past their looming WBO title fight by holding meetings with promoter Eddie Hearn, who has several British heavyweights on his books.
Speaking in Manchester yesterday, Barry said the split between Parker’s Duco promoters David Higgins and Dean Lonergan had weighed heavily on Parker before an underwhelming first defence of his world title against Romanian Razvan Cojanu in May.
That fight was put together at the last minute after Fury withdrew because of a back injury, and Barry promised Parker would be more aggressive in hunting a knockout against Fury at Manchester Arena on September 23.
‘‘We had a lot of things going on at the time,’’ Barry said. ‘‘There were some problems with our promotional company... and it was sort of weighing down on Joe a bit. In fact, there were a couple of times I even asked him if he wanted to pull out of the fight, because I wasn’t sure if his head was 100 per cent in it.
‘‘We all, as a team, know Joe is so much better than that. We’re going to change things up a little bit for this fight. We’re going to be a lot more aggressive. We’ll go back to the Joseph Parker that was fighting two years ago.’’
Barry made the revelations after a press conference in Manchester, in which both fighters’ camps appeared to have put any ill feeling caused by Fury’s earlier withdrawal behind them.
Fury’s cousin, former world heavyweight champion Tyson Fury, even left his seat to hug Parker at one point after both sides had gushed about their mutual admiration.
But Hughie Fury briefly turned hostile, directing his anger firstly at Duco, before turning on Hearn.
‘‘(Duco) are already going on meetings with what’s his name, Eddie Hearn, and arranging fights,’’ Fury said.
‘‘I’ll tell you this, I would take me completely seriously because I am coming for (Parker’s) belt.
‘‘To Eddie Hearn, that cockroach, because that’s what you are, you and your big stiff fighter (Anthony Joshua), I’m coming for you next. When I get (Parker’s) belt, me and Tyson is unifying this division together.’’
Duco boss David Higgins shot down suggestions his company was disrespecting Fury, insisting his meeting with Hearn was ‘‘just making the most of the massive airfares we paid to get up here’’.
‘‘Boxer and trainer are fully focused on the fight in front of them, but the promoter’s job is to scan ahead for all eventualities,’’ Higgins said.