Parker: Unifying four major belts might eclipse ABs

Getting the better of the All Blacks in the New Zealand and global sporting mindset is never easy but Joseph Parker feels he might achieve that if he can unify the heavyweight division by winning all four major belts.

Parker takes the first step towards that when he puts his WBO title on the line against IBF and WBA champion Anthony Joshua in Cardiff on March 31.

The winner of that is sure to face WBC champion Deontay Wilder providing the big-talking American can get through his March 3 assignment with burly Cuban Luis Ortiz.

That would give the ultimate winner the four major belts for the first time in the long history of the division and make him the undisputed champion of the world. Respected American outfit

ESPN put it to Parker if he felt winning all four belts might see him eclipse the All Blacks. Parker replied: ‘‘I hope so. The All Blacks is a very well-known team all around the world.’’

The 26-year-old Parker backgrounded his time in rugby and his decision to concentrate on boxing which has proved fruitful as his unbeaten professional career over 24 fights has set him up for a $12 million pay day against Joshua.

‘‘I played rugby union when I was at school, I played at lock as you can probably tell by my [left] cauliflower ear,’’ Parker told

ESPN. ‘‘I played it for around three years, I enjoyed it, I had thoughts of turning professional at rugby but my dad always told me to focus on one sport so I chose boxing. It was the best decision ever.

‘‘This is a very exciting time to be a heavyweight but also because it’s an opportunity to become the unified champion of the world.’’

Parker is a keen rugby fan and has developed friendships with several high-profile All Blacks. Israel Dagg has been a regular in his dressing room for New Zealand fights.

Parker’s fight with Joshua looks set to be the biggest Kiwi sporting moment of the year given the setting and what is stake. Ironically it will take place at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium where the All Blacks have regularly packed out the huge facility.

The other highly anticipated New Zealand v England clash for 2018 comes in November when the All Blacks take on Eddie Jones’ Six Nations champions.

It’s a clash between the top two ranked rugby teams ahead of next year’s World Cup in Japan and puts the champion teams from either hemisphere against each other at Twickenham.

Parker is relishing taking on Joshua and feels the English fighter’s heavy favouritism with the bookies suits his psyche for this massive occasion in his career.

‘‘Throughout my career I’ve had some big fights and some big crowds but this is going to be a different ball game altogether. I’m looking forward to walking out in front of 80,000 people at the stadium. It will be incredible,’’ Parker said.

‘‘I like to be the underdog. I know what I have to do and I know that I have to train the hardest I have ever trained.’’

Parker is now in Las Vegas with his trainer Kevin Barry immersing himself in 10 weeks of preparation.

He is facing 15 sessions this week as he works on losing weight and boosting his fitness levels before a six-week block of sparring.