PARKER SET TO BOUNCE RIGHT BACK
JOSEPH PARKER wasn’t exactly jumping for joy after defeat to Anthony Joshua.
But a trampoline and some family time soon put the spring back in his step.
Now the New Zealander aims to bounce back against Dillian Whyte at the O2 on Saturday with a Joshua rematch – the only man to beat him – also in his sights.
It’s just four months since his first career defeat, losing his WBO heavyweight title to the Brit at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium in front of 80,000 fans.
“There is no point coming off a defeat and dwelling on it,” said Parker. “You have to get straight back on the horse again. It wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be. It’s not nice losing, it’s not nice losing your belt and I want to be unified champion.
“But saying that, when you know you prepared well, you just have to accept you lost to the better man on the day.
“The real mark of what you are is how far you can come back from a defeat. How fast you climb back to the top.”
The Kiwi recovered by spending time with partner, Laine Tavita and daughter Elizabeth home in Auckland where he had promised to build a playground, including a huge trampoline.
“As soon as I got back I got it put together,” he said. “I said it was for my daughter, but really it was for me.
“There was joy and laughter with my family, that put defeat into perspective.”