Punching power back after elbow surgery

WELLINGTON: Joseph Parker believes he is punching harder than any time in the past two years thanks to surgery on his elbows.

The Parker camp revealed the unbeaten New Zealand heavyweight underwent an operation in November to alleviate a restriction in his elbow movement which was causing pain.

They believe the 26yearold will show the benefits in next week’s unification fight against Briton Anthony Joshua in Cardiff.

Trainer Kevin Barry said the result of the surgery had been ‘‘nothing less than fantastic’’ and his charge was back to the punching speed and power of 2016, a year which concluded with victory over American Andy Ruiz jun to claim the vacant WBO belt.

Parker’s orthopaedic surgeon, Craig Ball, said the procedure was a common one.

What was unusual with Parker, Ball said, was the apparent speed with which he recovered.

‘‘I think by losing that impingement pain that he would have, that will almost certainly give him a little bit more speed and probably power with his punch, too,’’ Dr Ball said.

‘‘Because he’s not having that pain limiting him every time he’s trying to throw something’’. — NZN