11-17-2016, 09:45 AM
Joseph Parker: I'm the fastest heavyweight in the world
Joseph Parker reckons he's the fastest heavyweight in the world, as his rival camp claim similar bragging rights for Andy Ruiz ahead of their WBO title fight.
The question of hand speed has become a hot topic for the December 10 showdown in Auckland that is shaping as a gun-slinger's shootout.
Bob Arum, the American promoter of Ruiz, reckons his man is faster on the draw, declaring: "Andy Ruiz has the fastest hands that I have seen on any heavyweight since Muhammad Ali, who I promoted over 50 years ago."
Parker's handlers have been mystified at Arum repeatedly ignoring this acknowledged strength of the 24-year-old Kiwi.
Parker stood up for himself when the issue was raised after a training session in Las Vegas. In fact, he reckons his hands are getting quicker through his new strength and fitness work.
"Andy has great hand speed and I respect his hand speed a lot. But I'm the fastest heavyweight in the world and I back myself on my speed," Parker fired back.
"I believe it's just a gift that I have, to be able to let my hands go fast. And I feel like it's improving all the time.
"With all the training that we have been doing with the strength coach ... with these new things, I believe I'm getting faster and faster."
Parker said there had been no compromise with either speed or movement as a result of his increased emphasis in strength work.
He felt he had shown that in his demolition of Russian Alexander Dimitrenko in his last fight and he was continuing to build on that.
Parker's trainer Kevin Barry appears bemused by his fighter's lightning hands being ignored in the buildup to the fight.
"Everyone except Bob Arum knows that Joe has really fast hands," Barry declared.
Arum is backing Ruiz's trainer Abel Sanchez to complement the 27-year-old's undoubted skill-set with improved fitness. The results are already obvious on a Mexican fighter known for his weight issues.
"I am stunned to see Andy Ruiz look as good as he does, and he better look as good as he does because he's in with a heavy-handed kid in Joseph Parker," Arum said.
Parker acknowledged the multiple threats of Ruiz but said he wasn't surprised to see him getting into shape for this massive opportunity. Like himself, Ruiz was clearly motivated and Parker had no doubt this would be the toughest fight of his unbeaten career.
"Ruiz is a fighter who I have a lot of respect for. In the past he had a lot of weight on and you can tell he is taking it seriously because he has dropped a lot of weight. He's moved away from home, he's training at altitude with a good trainer, so it's not a surprise to me because it is a big occasion for both of us," Parker said.
"We both want to win, we both want to make history and be champion of the world.
"With Andy, I think even when he was big and had the weight, he was fit, strong and fast. So with this taking off the weight, it will increase his fitness and make him a lot better fighter. But he was already a good fighter.
"He has a lot of combinations and he has good speed. I haven't faced anyone with his kind of speed. He throws a lot of punches and combinations, similar to me. He definitely has pop in his punches.
"I believe this is going to be my hardest fight to date and it should be because it's for the world title."
- Duncan Johnstone travelled to the United States as a guest of Duco Events.
- Stuff
Joseph Parker reckons he's the fastest heavyweight in the world, as his rival camp claim similar bragging rights for Andy Ruiz ahead of their WBO title fight.
The question of hand speed has become a hot topic for the December 10 showdown in Auckland that is shaping as a gun-slinger's shootout.
Bob Arum, the American promoter of Ruiz, reckons his man is faster on the draw, declaring: "Andy Ruiz has the fastest hands that I have seen on any heavyweight since Muhammad Ali, who I promoted over 50 years ago."
Parker's handlers have been mystified at Arum repeatedly ignoring this acknowledged strength of the 24-year-old Kiwi.
Parker stood up for himself when the issue was raised after a training session in Las Vegas. In fact, he reckons his hands are getting quicker through his new strength and fitness work.
"Andy has great hand speed and I respect his hand speed a lot. But I'm the fastest heavyweight in the world and I back myself on my speed," Parker fired back.
"I believe it's just a gift that I have, to be able to let my hands go fast. And I feel like it's improving all the time.
"With all the training that we have been doing with the strength coach ... with these new things, I believe I'm getting faster and faster."
Parker said there had been no compromise with either speed or movement as a result of his increased emphasis in strength work.
He felt he had shown that in his demolition of Russian Alexander Dimitrenko in his last fight and he was continuing to build on that.
Parker's trainer Kevin Barry appears bemused by his fighter's lightning hands being ignored in the buildup to the fight.
"Everyone except Bob Arum knows that Joe has really fast hands," Barry declared.
Arum is backing Ruiz's trainer Abel Sanchez to complement the 27-year-old's undoubted skill-set with improved fitness. The results are already obvious on a Mexican fighter known for his weight issues.
"I am stunned to see Andy Ruiz look as good as he does, and he better look as good as he does because he's in with a heavy-handed kid in Joseph Parker," Arum said.
Parker acknowledged the multiple threats of Ruiz but said he wasn't surprised to see him getting into shape for this massive opportunity. Like himself, Ruiz was clearly motivated and Parker had no doubt this would be the toughest fight of his unbeaten career.
"Ruiz is a fighter who I have a lot of respect for. In the past he had a lot of weight on and you can tell he is taking it seriously because he has dropped a lot of weight. He's moved away from home, he's training at altitude with a good trainer, so it's not a surprise to me because it is a big occasion for both of us," Parker said.
"We both want to win, we both want to make history and be champion of the world.
"With Andy, I think even when he was big and had the weight, he was fit, strong and fast. So with this taking off the weight, it will increase his fitness and make him a lot better fighter. But he was already a good fighter.
"He has a lot of combinations and he has good speed. I haven't faced anyone with his kind of speed. He throws a lot of punches and combinations, similar to me. He definitely has pop in his punches.
"I believe this is going to be my hardest fight to date and it should be because it's for the world title."
- Duncan Johnstone travelled to the United States as a guest of Duco Events.
- Stuff