Joshua finds himself reassessing Kiwi fighter Parker

Anthony Joshua admits he is having to reassess Joseph Parker as the New Zealand heavyweight’s increasing confidence for a unification fight puzzles the big Brit.

WBO champion Parker and IBF and WBA champion Joshua are close to finalising a fight deal to bring together three of the four titles. They are so close that Joshua admitted he would like a signed contract from Parker as his main Christmas present as the festive season hit Britain on Tuesday. But Parker’s cheeky taunting of Joshua has the English fighter confused.

Joshua was asked to assess his three hoped-for opponents in 2018 – Parker, WBC champion Deontay Wilder, and former champ Tyson Fury – and it seems the Kiwi has him a bit rattled with repeated questions about Joshua’s ‘‘glass chin’’ and his money motives over what is a fair split for the fight.

It seems Parker has hit a nerve with his verbal assaults.

‘‘Parker, I don’t know, it’s unpredictable, because from a fighting perspective, I know I can beat him,’’ Joshua said. ‘‘But he’s now trying to challenge me mentally, the things he’s saying, the way he’s acting, this is out of character.

‘‘So I have to reassess Parker. I don’t get where he’s got this lease of confidence, I just don’t get it but I’m going to have to assess Parker because he’s not going to trouble me physically, he’s trying to get to me mentally. I have to keep my cool and not get involved in any trash talking.’’

As for the others, Joshua believes he could outbox the unorthodox Wilder though confirmed Fury was his biggest worry in terms of boxing skills.

Of Wilder, he said: ‘‘His record proves he has a powerful punch, but his powerful punch doesn’t come with an uppercut, it doesn’t come with a peach left hook.

‘‘It just comes with a straight right hand. So you eliminate one or two of his main weapons, you kind of chip the tree down with Wilder and I think he starts to lose his confidence.’’

If Fury can get back into shape, Joshua admitted that the Manchester’s man-mountain would be a handful.