Irish Sunday Mirror

THERE’S NO FEAR IN THE EYES OF CHALLENGER JOE

- BY TOM HOPKINSON

AFTER looking into the eyes of Joseph Parker, champ Anthony Joshua realised this was a man who had absolutely no fear of stepping into a ring with him.

That’s according to Parker’s trainer, Kevin Barry, who is confident his fellow Kiwi will be holding four world titles by this time next week.

Barry said: “I was a little surprised when they sat around the table for ‘The Gloves Are Off’.

“Joe had just come back from vacation, he was fat in the face and a totally different guy from the one today.

“But you look in a guy’s eyes and you can find out a lot about him. Joshua looked at Joseph Parker and thought, ‘This guy ain’t afraid of me’.

“The fact is Joe isn’t afraid of him, there’s no fear at all. When I look in Joseph’s eyes there’s no hint of nerves, no hint of, ‘Oh my God, I have to fight Anthony Joshua’.

“He’s very relaxed, calm, at peace with himself. He knows we have done everything we can and we feel confident coming into this fight.

“I sat Joe down at the start of this training camp and said, ‘Mate, you do everything right in this camp, with your elbows in the best shape they have been in for a long time so we’re not going to have to deal with injury and pain, you work hard and stay discipline­d and the rest of it is in the hands of the gods’.

“It’s as simple as this. If we don’t beat Joshua it’s because he’s a better fighter, there’s no other reason, and we don’t think he is.

“We have looked at Joshua for a long time and I have always believed in the skill of Joseph Parker, the handspeed, the movement.

“I have always thought that I had the best heavyweigh­t, and we’ll find out on Saturday.

“They are both going to bash each other and test each other’s chins.

“The first couple of rounds are going to be very important in this fight.”

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 ??  ?? BELTER: Joshua and Parker will lay four belts on the line
BELTER: Joshua and Parker will lay four belts on the line

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