Five keys for Kiwi to relaunch career

Duncan Johnstone Joseph Parker’s heavyweight boxing career is on the line when he fronts Alexander Flores tonight.

The Kiwi is looking to round out a lucrative but difficult year with victory at Horncastle Arena.

Parker’s record and reputation has taken a couple of serious dents and he sees this as a fresh start.

Parker needs a statement performance in a fight where he will be heavily scrutinised.

Here are five keys to making a successful relaunch. 1 – Win at all costs

After two succussive losses, victory means everything in this fight for the 26-year-old Kiwi. A third loss in a row, particularly against a relatively

unrecognised fighter like Flores, would likely be terminal to Parker’s career, particularly in terms of returning to the elite ranks of the heavyweight division where he is adamant he still belongs. 2 – Knockout would knock the knockers

While a win is essential, the manner of victory is just as important. Parker desperately needs a knockout for his own confidence and to boost his persona. It’s been more than two years since he savagely beat Alexander Dimitrenko to finish the fight early. He’s had five fights since then and proved his durability by going the distance every time but his lack of a power punch has been concerning. His knockout percentage has dropped to 69 per cent with 18 KOs in 26 fights. A lift in level of opposition has seen Parker

caught short and he seems to have lost his fear factor. There has been a lot of talk about power being the emphasis of his latest training camp and, if he is to remain a force in the division, he needs to start showing that in devastating fashion. 3 – Start strong

Parker needs to get busy from the opening bell in this fight. Too often he has let opponents, most notably Andy Ruiz, Carlos Takam and Anthony Joshua, get away from him in terms of mounting points over the front half of fights and he has had to rely on late rallies to get a decision. Against Dillian Whyte there was noticeable energy from the get-go and Parker was in command of the opening two rounds with flurries of accurate punches and quick footwork before he was dulled by

a headbutt. Flores is oozing confidence and the best way to dent that is to get stuck in early and don’t relent. 4 – Transfer training to the battlefield

To the frustration of his coach Kevin Barry, his corner and the fans, Parker has been guilty of not always carrying out game plans and tactics. Barry frequently raves about what he sees from Parker in their Las Vegas gym but then watches his fighter slip back into old habits come fight night. The trainer and his boxer have copped a fair bit of criticism this year as they have suffered their first losses together. Some have wondered if the time is up on their partnership? The best answer to that is a polished performance against Flores, where Parker sticks to the blueprint prepared in Sin City. Everyone believes

Parker is maturing as a person and a fighter and he needs to show that with his ring craft. 5 – Don’t get bullied

The toughest lesson learned from the costly loss to Whyte was the way Parker let himself be dominated by dirty tactics from the rugged Londoner. Parker says there is now ‘‘no more Mr Nice Guy’’ and has been learning some moves to show he can dish out his own rough house tactics if required. Flores isn’t expected to be the physical force that Whyte persistently presents but, as Ruiz showed, Mexicans don’t take a backwards step when it comes to fighting. Parker and Flores are a good match in terms of height and reach though Parker looks the bigger man. He needs to exert that edge on his opponent any way he can.