Joseph Parker prepares to cut Andy Ruiz down to size
Joseph Parker has been working on his speed in Las Vegas.
Kevin Barry believes Joseph Parker is on target to deliver a world title performance despite having to make late adjustments to counter the unexpected threats of Andy Ruiz.
Barry and Parker were tracking a route to the IBF title against the massive Anthony Joshua before the door swung open to target the WBO heavyweight belt and a title fight against the shorter Ruiz.
The uncertainty of that direction in the immediate aftermath to Parker's impressive win over giant Russian Alexander Dimitrenko last month left Parker in limbo in terms of specific skill work.
But he has rapidly caught up and Barry likes where the 24-year-old is placed a month out from the WBO title fight in Auckland.
"We had two training camps with tall guys and all of my skill work with Joe had been geared towards tall guys and getting in and closing the distance against a tall guy. Then all of a sudden this opportunity presented itself and we had to rethink in a hurry for our training camp. There has been an adjustment," Barry said in Las Vegas as Parker buried himself into his work.
"We have a month to go before the fight and I like the position we're at at the moment. We're on target to be peaking on December 10."
Barry believes the busy schedule they have had Parker on will prove a blessing for this fight.
While Mexican Ruiz is in the Californian mountains about three hours away, rushing to lose weight and also work on his fight game, Parker's perpetual fitness allows more focus on sparring and fight specifics.
"Obviously from start to finish it's a seven-week training camp and when you're preparing for a world heavyweight title fight, it doesn't sound like a lot of time," Barry said.
"But we've gone back-to-back all year with only a short downtime between fights, with a maximum of two weeks downtime between camps. So because of that Joe has got a very good base fitness. Every time he comes back into camp he's ready to go.
"We're fighting him five times a year; he's practically living here in camp. In fact the last few years he's spent nine months of the year in Vegas and three months at home with his family. One camp has literally moved into the next camp."
Parker looked sharp as he started another week of training on Tuesday (NZ time).
"We're in the sparring phase. We've got four more sparring sessions here in Vegas before we leave. We'll probably have four 10s (rounds). I may throw a 12 in there."
Barry suggested he may even change up Parker's routine in New Zealand a bit by adding some short sparring there to keep him on his game.
"I'm thinking about doing a couple of sparring sessions in New Zealand the first week back. They will be four rounds, or maybe a four and a six, just to keep things ticking over.
"We're feeling very good the way things are falling into place at the moment.
"It's up to me and Joe that the guy that turns up is the very best because I need the very best Joseph Parker there has ever been if we are to beat Andy Ruiz."
– Duncan Johnstone travelled to the United States as a guest of Duco Events.
- Stuff
Joseph Parker has been working on his speed in Las Vegas.
Kevin Barry believes Joseph Parker is on target to deliver a world title performance despite having to make late adjustments to counter the unexpected threats of Andy Ruiz.
Barry and Parker were tracking a route to the IBF title against the massive Anthony Joshua before the door swung open to target the WBO heavyweight belt and a title fight against the shorter Ruiz.
The uncertainty of that direction in the immediate aftermath to Parker's impressive win over giant Russian Alexander Dimitrenko last month left Parker in limbo in terms of specific skill work.
But he has rapidly caught up and Barry likes where the 24-year-old is placed a month out from the WBO title fight in Auckland.
"We had two training camps with tall guys and all of my skill work with Joe had been geared towards tall guys and getting in and closing the distance against a tall guy. Then all of a sudden this opportunity presented itself and we had to rethink in a hurry for our training camp. There has been an adjustment," Barry said in Las Vegas as Parker buried himself into his work.
"We have a month to go before the fight and I like the position we're at at the moment. We're on target to be peaking on December 10."
Barry believes the busy schedule they have had Parker on will prove a blessing for this fight.
While Mexican Ruiz is in the Californian mountains about three hours away, rushing to lose weight and also work on his fight game, Parker's perpetual fitness allows more focus on sparring and fight specifics.
"Obviously from start to finish it's a seven-week training camp and when you're preparing for a world heavyweight title fight, it doesn't sound like a lot of time," Barry said.
"But we've gone back-to-back all year with only a short downtime between fights, with a maximum of two weeks downtime between camps. So because of that Joe has got a very good base fitness. Every time he comes back into camp he's ready to go.
"We're fighting him five times a year; he's practically living here in camp. In fact the last few years he's spent nine months of the year in Vegas and three months at home with his family. One camp has literally moved into the next camp."
Parker looked sharp as he started another week of training on Tuesday (NZ time).
"We're in the sparring phase. We've got four more sparring sessions here in Vegas before we leave. We'll probably have four 10s (rounds). I may throw a 12 in there."
Barry suggested he may even change up Parker's routine in New Zealand a bit by adding some short sparring there to keep him on his game.
"I'm thinking about doing a couple of sparring sessions in New Zealand the first week back. They will be four rounds, or maybe a four and a six, just to keep things ticking over.
"We're feeling very good the way things are falling into place at the moment.
"It's up to me and Joe that the guy that turns up is the very best because I need the very best Joseph Parker there has ever been if we are to beat Andy Ruiz."
– Duncan Johnstone travelled to the United States as a guest of Duco Events.
- Stuff