Parker’s brutal promise to AJ
Joseph Parker has told Anthony Joshua to his face he will knock out the big Brit in their world heavyweight unification fight.
WBO champion Parker takes on IBF and WBA champion Joshua in Cardiff on April 1 (NZT).
They appear together in an interview to be aired in Britain this weekend by Sky TV.
Stuff has seen the cross-table discussion which was full of feeling but mutual respect. Parker handled himself with a confidence that bodes well for his chances in a fight to be played out in front of 80,000 people at the Principality Stadium.
Former British heavyweight Johnny Nelson handled the interview in The Gloves Are Off episode and threw tricky questions at both fighters. Parker didn’t flinch.
The inevitable topic of Joshua’s suspect chin was quickly raised, something which appeared to irk the Brit.
‘‘He says I have a glass chin, I want to see if he has the power. I don’t think he has enough power in his hand to detonate on my chin and knock me out,’’ Joshua said.
‘‘Trust me, I have got the power,’’ Parker replies.
Joshua: ‘‘Are you going to knock me out?’’
Parker makes a long pause, staring Joshua right in the eye and declares: ‘‘Yeah, of course I am.’’
When asked what he saw as Joshua’s weaknesses, Parker said: ‘‘I’m going to expose him. He doesn’t move as well as I do. The way to beat him would be speed and movement. I don’t think he can catch me.’’
When Joshua was asked the same question of Parker, he said: ‘‘I haven’t fought him, I couldn’t say. But I’m gong to punish him with every jab, every right hand and every hook.’’
Joshua labelled Parker ‘‘my second toughest fight because I put (Wladimir) Klitschko at No 1’’.
‘‘I’m a different challenge to Klitschko,’’ Parker insisted, saying he was younger and faster than the 41-year-old Ukrainian who hadn’t fought for two years before being knocked out by Joshua at Wembley last year.
Joshua described Parker as ‘‘young, talented and tough’’.
‘‘But I just think I’m tougher, I’m solid in my heart. Everything that you are, I am. I may not be as durable but I can definitely take a punch ... and get up and keep going and get the win.
‘‘I can’t afford to lose, I can’t afford to let it slip. There’s nerves, but I’ve got bottle, I don’t turn in a challenge. I’m in with a ferocious puncher.’’
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Joshua had earlier intimated he wouldn’t shake hands with Parker because of the tactics his team had employed by calling out his glass chin.
Nelson asked them to shake hands at the end of the interview. There was a long pause before the two big men reached across the table and did shake hands with Parker saying directly to his opponent: ‘‘May the best champion win.’’