Parker riffs it and roughs it
It must be fight week. Joseph Parker offered a peek at both his sensitive side as well as a more sinister one as the countdown began in earnest to Sunday’s (NZT) effective heavyweight boxing eliminator against Dillian Whyte in London.
As the English capital sweltered in a summer heatwave, Parker mixed the downright cool with the decidedly snarly as he continued to prepare for what is expected to be a sellout fight.
This is a big, big matchup for the 26-year-old Aucklander against a legit British contender with genuine punching power and improving credentials. It could either catapult Parker straight back into the world title fight conversation or send him hurtling down the rankings.
Now the hard work of training camp and the principal precontest tune-ups have all been taken care of, Parker is into that final phase of preparation where the protagonist has a little time on his hands to promote the fight, as well as prepare for it.
So yesterday saw Parker visit famous muso’s store Hank’s Guitar Shop in the Soho district where the hard-hitting Kiwi heavyweight revealed an aptitude for belting out a quality riff in a segment filmed for UK television. In a store that peddles collector’s item guitars strummed by a who’s who of musical glitterati – including a nice little purple number once owned by Prince that will set you back £49,000 (NZ$94,600) – Parker enjoyed the chance to show off a more sensitive side of his personality.
‘‘It’s a bit of fun getting away from the training and the gym, and it’s something else to do. It’s refreshing,’’ he said.
The big Kiwi was certainly hitting the right note with his predictions for Sunday at the O2 where he vows to turn ‘‘bad intentions’’ into a good outcome.
In a no-holds-barred interview in the back of a London cab, Parker said he believes he’s a better fighter for having been through the experience of his only career defeat (on points) against Anthony Joshua with those three belts on the line.
‘‘I’ve put in more rounds of sparring, more strength and conditioning, and it’s not only the body that’s changed, but also the mindset. I’m not a champion any more, and the whole team is determined to get back there.
‘‘I’m hungrier, and more motivated. I’ve missed the birth of my daughter, so I can’t wait to go see her. But I want to bash this guy first and then go give her a nice hug.’’
Parker then revealed that darker side when he spoke of a mindset developed during those 102 rounds of sparring in Vegas against men trained to come at him as Whyte is expected to do.
‘‘I was doing everything I could to hurt the other person, and at the end of camp in sparring sessions I wanted to break their ribs. That’s not a nice thing to say, but you get in the ring with me I’m going to bash you so hard I want to see you on the ground screaming.’’
Marc Hinton travelled to London with assistance from Duco Events.
‘‘I’ve missed the birth of my daughter, so I can’t wait to go see her. But I want to bash this guy first and then go give her a nice hug.’’
Joseph Parker