02-23-2016, 10:46 AM
World heavyweight champion Charles Martin dismisses Joseph Parker's tough talk
Rising New Zealand star Joseph Parker has entered a war of words as the young contenders in the heavyweight division get vocal.
IBF world heavyweight champion Charles Martin says rising New Zealand star Joseph Parker holds no fears for him as he division heats up.
American Martin beat Vyacheslav Glazkov to win the vacant belt in January, flooring his opponent twice before it was called off in the third round because of a knee injury to the Ukrainian.
Parker labelled Martin "nothing special" after that effort.
Martin has now accepted an April challenge in London from Britain's Olympic champion Anthony Joshua, another fighter Parker has called out in a division full of young guns getting increasingly vocal.
READ MORE:
*Brit heavyweight doesn't fear Parker
*Lonergan: Parker will end the myth that is Joshua
*Joshua's boss says too early for Parker fight
*Parker: New IBF champ 'nothing special'
Parker is ranked No 6 by the IBF and his handlers are eager to try to manouevre him into a mandatory challenger's position, something they also want to do in the WBO where Parker is ranked No 1 behind British champ Tyson Fury.
Parker's remarks haven't been lost on Martin.
He bit back when the matter was raised in an interview with Boxingnews24.com.
"I ain't worried by this guy, their just talking I don't care about what they say. They will know if I'm all hype when they get in the ring with me," the unbeaten Martin said of Parker.
"Even the bums I fought up to now, they said it would be easy until they got in there then they gave me my props.
"Punches don't look as fast from the outside to when you're in there.
"I'm a world champion, a star. I love that they underestimate me. In this sport that's the best way to be the best kept secret. I know my abilities, they just have to deal with it when they're in the ring. I'd rather be the dark horse."
Martin welcomed the division being opened up by Fury's win over long-term champion Wladimir Klistchko and predicted an exciting time as new blood takes over.
"I'm so glad that it's alive again, it's thriving. We got a handful of great heavyweights ... there are going to be some great heavyweight fight's," Martin told Boxingnews24.com.
"When it comes to Klitschko you can't beat father time. He was hitting 40, it was only a matter of time before he lost his belts. Us up and coming heavyweights we're young, strong, athletic, times change".
Martin has set his sights on unifying the division and "has plans on taking down the top guys as fast as possible".
"I want to do it fast. I'm young, hungry ... it can get real nasty in there, they haven't seen nothing. They think I'm going to get hit and I'm going to go down well let them think that we want to."
Unbeaten Parker fights next in Christchurch in April against an opponent still to be named.
- Stuff
Rising New Zealand star Joseph Parker has entered a war of words as the young contenders in the heavyweight division get vocal.
IBF world heavyweight champion Charles Martin says rising New Zealand star Joseph Parker holds no fears for him as he division heats up.
American Martin beat Vyacheslav Glazkov to win the vacant belt in January, flooring his opponent twice before it was called off in the third round because of a knee injury to the Ukrainian.
Parker labelled Martin "nothing special" after that effort.
Martin has now accepted an April challenge in London from Britain's Olympic champion Anthony Joshua, another fighter Parker has called out in a division full of young guns getting increasingly vocal.
READ MORE:
*Brit heavyweight doesn't fear Parker
*Lonergan: Parker will end the myth that is Joshua
*Joshua's boss says too early for Parker fight
*Parker: New IBF champ 'nothing special'
Parker is ranked No 6 by the IBF and his handlers are eager to try to manouevre him into a mandatory challenger's position, something they also want to do in the WBO where Parker is ranked No 1 behind British champ Tyson Fury.
Parker's remarks haven't been lost on Martin.
He bit back when the matter was raised in an interview with Boxingnews24.com.
"I ain't worried by this guy, their just talking I don't care about what they say. They will know if I'm all hype when they get in the ring with me," the unbeaten Martin said of Parker.
"Even the bums I fought up to now, they said it would be easy until they got in there then they gave me my props.
"Punches don't look as fast from the outside to when you're in there.
"I'm a world champion, a star. I love that they underestimate me. In this sport that's the best way to be the best kept secret. I know my abilities, they just have to deal with it when they're in the ring. I'd rather be the dark horse."
Martin welcomed the division being opened up by Fury's win over long-term champion Wladimir Klistchko and predicted an exciting time as new blood takes over.
"I'm so glad that it's alive again, it's thriving. We got a handful of great heavyweights ... there are going to be some great heavyweight fight's," Martin told Boxingnews24.com.
"When it comes to Klitschko you can't beat father time. He was hitting 40, it was only a matter of time before he lost his belts. Us up and coming heavyweights we're young, strong, athletic, times change".
Martin has set his sights on unifying the division and "has plans on taking down the top guys as fast as possible".
"I want to do it fast. I'm young, hungry ... it can get real nasty in there, they haven't seen nothing. They think I'm going to get hit and I'm going to go down well let them think that we want to."
Unbeaten Parker fights next in Christchurch in April against an opponent still to be named.
- Stuff