Joseph Parker Q & A

WBA (10) and WBO (11) ranked heavyweight Joseph Parker (12-0-0) is training for his next fight with American heavyweight Jason Pettaway (17-1-0). Parker takes time out of his training schedule to talk to us about his career to date, while also offering his thoughts on joining the Wladimir Klitschko camp later this year as a sparring partner for the man regarded as the best heavyweight on the planet.

Joe what’s the plan for you in 2015?

Looking forward to getting back in the ring after a good year last year and fighting someone with a different style.

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Why do people compare Deontay Wilder and Anthony Joshua?

How often do you get to compare a professional in their seventh year to one in his second year? For myself it is not often but apparently that is normal for drawing comparsions between fellow olympians and current heavyweights Anthony Joshua and Deontay Wilder.

Both men are tall and strong and produce knockouts in high volume but that is really all you can tell so far. Anthony Joshua is still in the early stages of his career and has only just made it to double figures in total fights where as Deontay has now had 30+ bouts and his first world title. What is interesting is that other than the Stiverne fight they have been facing the same level of competition through 2014.

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Australia’s brightest prospect: Meet Jeff ‘the Hornet’ Horn

As all of boxing once again hangs in limbo, waiting as its two biggest stars continue to indulge in their continuing dance of ‘will they or won’t they’ we look across the landscape of what has always been boxing’s deepest division, the welterweights, to see what future talent lies ahead assuming that if the Mayweather/Pacquiao match-up actually ever happens it will probably be fought with the aid of Zimmer frames and walking sticks.

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Leo Santa Cruz in danger of ruining reputation

The WBC super bantamweight world champion Leo Santa Cruz has now parted ways with Golden Boy Promotions and his contract was sold to Al Haymon. As we all know Haymon keeps his fighters out of meaningful matchups where there is a chance that his fighter may actually lose. Because of this a showdown with Guillermo Rigondeaux is completely off the cards.

Owner and founder of GBP Oscar De La Hoya was very vocal about trying to make that fight and had been quoted saying it was something that boxing needed and I agree with him. Leo Santa Cruz has the punch output to possibly give the Cuban master some problems, but now we will never know.

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Broner has to make a statement vs Molina to stay relevant

Adrien Broner is a three weight world champion already so his name will always hold some weight. The point I am trying to highlight in this article is that very few fighters make it to the very top of the sport where they become household names and make ridiculous amount of money. When you look at the forbes list of highest paid athletes you see a boxer in the number 1 spot, but then you see only 1-2 other boxers in the top 25. There is a sharp dropoff between an elite star and a ‘good’ fighter.

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Omar Figueroa could enter the fray at Welterweight

For years now welterweight has been the centre of attention in the boxing world. Big names such as Floyd Mayweather Jr and Manny Pacquiao amongst others have lured fighters from 135-140 and 154 to alter their natural weight to compete in the biggest events in the sport for huge exposure and enormous paydays.

In boxing now the best thing that can happen to a fighter is to land a fight with Mayweather. Win or lose they are guaranteed the biggest purse of their careers.

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Dillian Whyte to enter the increasingly interesting UK Heavyweight scene

UK heavyweight Dillian Whyte fought his first decent heavyweight in Marcelo Luiz Nascimento (17-8-0 15KO) on 7th February 2015. Whyte made short work of the Brazilian heavyweight in getting him out of there in the second round.

Whyte has not been getting the same attention as Anthony Joshua, but is a decent prospect in his own right. This was the fastest Nascimento had been stopped and should propel Whyte into some better fights. I think this is the kind of performance which give him and his team the confidence to pursue some better opposition.

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Anthony Joshua can’t get away with anymore weak opposition

Anthony Joshua has had a fast paced career so far in the pro ranks. Ten fights in his first year as a pro, all wins by knockout. The level of competition has been on a steep rise also, rising from unknown fighters to serious journeymen type opponents in the very first year. It is likely that he will be fighting Kevin Johnson in his next two fights and this is the kind of guy who Dereck Chisora, Manuel Charr, Tyson Fury and Alex Leapai are fighting well into the prime of their careers. Joshua is expected to become the first man to stop Johnson in that fight.

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Abel Sanchez – Ward wouldn’t last 12 rounds with Golovkin

The trainer for ‘Triple G’ Gennady Golovkin called out Andre Ward and his team in a recent interview with FightHype. In the interview he said that Ward shouldn’t mention Golovkins name is they were not willing to put money on the table in the form of a fight offer. Andre Ward is the guy who has Jay-Z in his corner and is generally regarded as the A side in the fight due to his victory in the super-six tournament so it is down to him to contact Golovkins people and start negotiations for the fight.

I do understand the problems Golovkin and his team are facing as the fighter has become a victim of his own success. In the destruction of each and every opponent they have faced, they have scared off the top names in the business.

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Brandon Rios eager to fight

Brandon Rios (33-2-1 24KO) is in a good place in the boxing world right now after a surprisingly quick dispatching of rival fighter Mike Alvarado in January. This fight was a bit of an anticlimactic finish for what was a good trilogy, but nevertheless has left Rios with a good choice of opposition for his next fight.

As always the welterweight division has a long list of names which would be good fights for Rios including a bout with newly crowned IBF champion Kell Brook or a boxer vs brawler type matchup with former champion Timothy Bradley who seems to have a stalled career after his first loss and draw in 2014. Another interesting fight, which would be ideal, but is also unlikely would be a catch-weight bout with the winner of Provodnikov vs Matthysse in another war.

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