Parker ‘has no clue what he’s in for’
Alexander Flores’ team believe their boxer can catch Joseph Parker by surprise in Saturday night’s heavyweight showdown in Christchurch.
Parker has been able to gain little evidence of Flores’ skills with minimal video footage available of the Mexican-American’s 19 fights (17-1-1).
Former WBO champion Parker is relying on his own established class and renewed aggression to take care of business and set him on a path back to the elite ranks of the heavyweight boxing division. But Flores, who has 15 KOs to his name, has other ideas and a lot of that is based on his relative obscurity.
‘‘I truly believe Joseph Parker has no clue what he is in for with Alex,’’ said Keith Veltre, CEO and co-founder of Roy Jones Jr Boxing who signed Flores this year.
‘‘Alex is there for the W. He has worked hard during the past two months and he will leave it all in the ring. It has been a huge mistake on Parker’s part to overlook Alex.’’
Flores is a former WBC youth world heavyweight champion, which is proof of his ability in a career that has failed to maximise more from a lack of promotional backing more than a lack of talent or desire.
He has fought just twice in the last three years and is ranked No 176 with BoxRec, compared to Parker’s No 10. He hopes his new backers can take him to the next level, though he knows there’s a rather large roadblock in front of him in the form of Parker. However, Flores sees that more as an opportunity than an obstacle.
He has oozed confidence from the moment this fight was made against a desperate Parker, who is looking to get back on track after two points losses to British fighters Anthony Joshua and Dillian Whyte.
Flores says he will mix it up against Parker though is adamant he has the power to carry off his forecasted knockout win.
‘‘He’s going to get a little bit of everything from me,’’ Flores said, looking to make up for lost time.
‘‘I’m a boxer-puncher, but I can press the action, or stand and punch. I’m tough to hit, too. It’s not going the distance; I’m not going down, Parker’s going down.
‘‘I can’t picture myself losing, not the way I feel. I’ve had a long, hard training camp for this fight. It’s really been a couple of years, because some fights fell through.’’