Parker’s demolition orders

Kevin Barry is demanding a demolition job from Joseph Parker in next week’s comeback fight in Christchurch.

Parker arrived home to Auckland yesterday from his eightweek training camp in Las Vegas to prepare to fight Alexander Flores on December 15.

With the heavyweight division’s bar raised by the outstanding clash between Tyson Fury and WBC champion Deontay Wilder in Los Angeles last weekend, the Kiwis know they need something special to push themselves back into the elite mix after Parker lost his WBO belt to Anthony Joshua in March and was then beaten by Dillian Whyte in July.

‘‘Joe knows the significance of this fight. We have to get the right result. If we want to be considered among the top elite in the world, Joe has to demolish this guy,’’ Barry said at Auckland airport.

"This is Joseph Parker’s career, the pressure is all on Joe. We’ve never had this pressure on us in six years together.

‘‘We’re coming off back-toback losses, albeit in some of the biggest fights of year against very, very high level opponents.

‘‘Everything is on the line, it’s made me work harder as a coach and Joe work as hard as I’ve seen him work. This is the fight we have to win. This is our comeback fight, towards our next tilt at a heavyweight title.

‘Our great options for 2019 mean absolutely nothing if we don’t take care of Alexander Flores.’’

Barry believes the best years of Parker’s career could be ahead of him in a division that is getting increasingly competitive.

‘‘Joseph Parker is 26 and just beginning to grow into his man body — we definitely don’t want to have our plans upset on December 15,’’ Barry said.

Barry said Flores needed to be treated with respect but paid little attention to the visitor’s bold claims of knocking out Parker.

Many, including Joshua and Whyte, had made similar predictions but been unable to carry out that task.

Parker is desperate to end his knockout drought and has been adjusting his training accordingly, promising a more aggressive approach in this fight.

Parker, who was ringside at the the Staples Centre to witness the draw between Fury and Wilder said Fury’s performance was inspirational considering where he had come from over the past three years.

Christchurch’s Horncastle Arena is a long way from the bright lights that Parker has been operating under in his more recent fights but that hasn’t dimmed his enthusiasm for this rebuilding phase of his career.

‘‘It’s always nice and refreshing to come back home to where it all started.

‘‘I want to put in a good performance here and if I can do that I won’t be here for a while again,’’ he said.

‘‘This feels like a fresh start.’’