Parker tipped for ‘spectacular’ win over rusty Fury
RESPECTED American heavyweight Malik Scott knows all about world champion qualities and he’s predicting WBO star Joseph Parker to produce a ‘‘spectacular’’ win over Hughie Fury.
Parker defends his belt for the second time when he takes on Fury in Manchester on September 23.
Parker has had the powerful 36-year-old Scott helping him with sparring at his Las Vegas camp.
Scott helped for world champion Wladimir Klitschko at five of his training camps and has been involved in 14 camps with fellow American and good friend Deontay Wilder, the WBC champion.
Scott, who has fashioned an impressive 38-3-1 record himself and been in the ring with several big names, believes Parker is on course for something special.
‘‘As far as my comparisons, because that’s what I do a lot of times, I compare opponents, I compare camps . . . out of a Wladimir camp, a Deontay camp, a Joseph Parker camp, one thing I can say about Joseph is he’s extremely concentrated,’’ Scott, who has a huge 2.06m reach, said as they went deep into the sparring phase of the buildup.
‘‘He’s a man about his business. He comes, he’s training, he’s respectful and I’m looking for him to be very victorious and spectacular. PHOTOSPORT
‘‘Everything has been going well, we are having a great camp. In my opinion he was ready last week some time. Obviously we have a few more weeks for preparation. The interesting thing about this fight is I’ve never seen Hughie Fury in with a guy like Joe Parker. I’m looking for Joe Parker to be victorious.’’
Scott’s thoughts are echoed by Parker’s trainer Kevin Barry.
‘‘With two and a half weeks to go before we leave for London, Joe is right where I need him to be. His strength levels are very, very good, fitness is good,’’ Barry said.
‘‘We are over halfway through our sparring phase, and he’s looking better every single week.’’
Scott’s prediction of a Parker win are backed by controversial British heavyweight Dillian Whyte who feels Fury’s 18 months out of the ring will count against him.
‘‘I think Hughie has been too inactive, I don’t think he’s strong enough,’’ Whyte, who has just fought in the US for the first time, told Boxing Scene.
Parker is certainly in a confident frame of mind, conceding Fury has an awkward, spoiling style, but promising to bring a new game to see off the lanky Brit.
‘‘It’s going to be a different look, but it’s going to be an exciting look,’’ Parker told thaboxingvoice.
‘‘We are doing everything right in camp and what we have been learning in camp . . . he is not going to expect what I’m going to bring.’’