AJ lacks one-hit KO, says Barry

Joseph Parker’s camp has questioned the knockout power of Anthony Joshua in the leadup to their heavyweight boxing world title unification fight.

The two unbeaten fighters clash in Cardiff on March 31 with WBA and IBF champion Joshua putting his belts on the line against Parker’s WBO title.

Joshua has the perfect record of 20 knockout wins but Parker’s trainer Kevin Barry has raised doubts over the big Brit’s onepunch power and believes his fighter has the ability to survive.

‘‘When you look at both guys Joseph Parker has several onepunch clean knockouts where he has put guys out cold,’’ Barry told

ProBoxingInsider.com and the fight continues to gather global interest.

‘‘I don’t know if Joshua has got a one-punch knockout. Joshua has to hit you with three, four, five punches,’’ Barry said.

‘‘Admittedly they are very heavy punches but I can tell you that in 24 professional fights I have never seen anyone hit Joseph Parker with two punches in a row let alone three, four or five.

‘‘Sure he can get hit ... you can hit him with one. But I’ve never seen Joshua knock anybody out with one punch.’’

Parker backed that up, telling ThaBoxingVoice: ‘‘Joshua has power but in a lot of his fights he uses combinations to finish opponents off. I hardly see the onepunch knockout power.’’

‘‘I expect him to throw a lot of punches and a lot of power punches but my goal is not to be there to be caught by them. My goal is to avoid them and fire back. It is going to be important to fight smart,’’ Parker said.

The thoughts of the two Kiwis continues their campaign to unsettle Joshua after earlier questioning the toughness of his chin. Parker is backing his fitness as well as his own power and sticks by his theory that this fight won’t go the distance.

‘‘If it goes to 12 I know my fitness will take me, we train for 12 rounds,’’ Parker, no stranger to points decisions, said.

‘‘But anything can happen in this fight. I’m prepared to take the best punches he’s going to throw and hopefully he’s prepared to take mine. As heavyweights and two guys who want it so bad, I think someone will get knocked out.’’

Fighting in Joshua’s backyard brings plenty of pressures, none more than convincing the judges if the fight does go the distance.

Barry said the agreed contract between Duco Boxing and Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn called for neutral officials.

Parker’s promoter David Higgins had to work hard to get the British referee changed for the successful defence against Hughie Fury in Manchester last September, locking horns with the British Boxing Board of Control who will also oversee this huge occasion.

‘‘I think if we get neutral officials across the board we will get a fair go,’’ Barry said of the assignment against Joshua.

Parker, looking relaxed as he attended a fight night in Las Vegas where he is training, said he was lapping up the attention that came with this high-profile fight which will start a huge year for the heavyweight division.