11-29-2018, 05:37 PM
No more Mr Nice Guy - Joseph Parker adding dirty tricks to his arsenal
DUNCAN JOHNSTONE IN LAS VEGAS
Joseph Parker has vowed to be more aggressive for his return to the boxing ring on December 15.
Joseph Parker is adding some dirty tricks to his arsenal, determined there will be no more Mr Nice Guy in the boxing ring.
The New Zealand heavyweight is wrapping up his training camp in Las Vegas and is adamant he will bring a more aggressive approach to his December 15 fight in Christchurch against Mexican-American Alexander Flores.
There was universal criticism of Parker's inability to respond to the rough-house tactics of Dillian Whyte in his July loss to the rugged Brit in London, a setback that followed his world unification defeat to Anthony Joshua where he admitted he was too cautious.
Parker and his trainer Kevin Barry have addressed those losses, making the mongrel factor a priority over the past eight weeks for a bout he must win with an exclamation mark as he attempts to fight his way back up the rankings and into title contention again.
It's been a tough lesson for the mild-mannered Parker but it's been even tougher on his sparring partners who have worn the brunt of his frustrations. They were warned by Barry that things could get rough and that's the way it has played out as Parker looks to find a new ruthlessness for this next stage of his career.
"We have always talked about being aggressive and not being Mr Nice Guy, but we haven't done it," Parker said.
"I haven't really shown it in camp and if you aren't showing it in camp, how are you going to show it in the fight? Now we are seeing it more in camp, we are familiarising ourselves with it in the gym.
"A lot of people questioned if I could be a mongrel with the Dillian Whyte fight, so with this training camp, if you ask the sparring partners, I've hit them down here [points to groin], tripped them up, thrown them around the ring.
"I feel it's something we have to do. You not only have to box smart, you have to be ruthless in the ring.
"Being nice outside the ring and being nice in the ring doesn't work. I feel it's important to be an all-round fighter ... I can be good technically but I have to be good at roughing it up, wrestling, all that sort of stuff. I think it's just adding an extra thing to your arsenal."
Parker has put Flores on notice that he won't stand for any nonsense in Christchurch.
"Come fight night if he tries to do any dirty tricks, I will counter with dirtier ones. So if I have to punch him low I will, if I have to elbow him in the face I will. Now it's not about talking about it, I'm going to be about it."
Parker said there was a need to up the ante.
"I think in the last two fights I haven't really shown the aggression I needed to show. Kevin is imploring it in my mind every single day."
Aware of the question marks over their partnership, Barry and Parker had a real heart-to-heart discussion after the Whyte fight where Parker was headbutted, elbowed and wrestled through the ropes by a ruthless opponent who was prepared to do anything to get a victory that has put him on the verge of a world title fight.
Barry has vowed Parker won't allow himself to be treated like that again, starting with this "no holds barred" camp.
"We all knew Dillian Whyte was a rough guy but I don't think we realised to what extent and to what extremes he would go to. And also what the officials would let him get away with," Barry said.
Trainer Kevin Barry has been insistent that Joseph Parker be prepared to counter any questionable tactics by opponents in the future.
"I've had Joe hitting his sparring partners to just about every part of their body. I've had him taking guys to the floor, I've had him with his forearm choking guys – stuff we've never done before.
"Every day after sparring I apologise to his sparring partners for the s**t he's doing, and they get it.
"To be completely honest, a lot of things I've taught Joe over the years and trained for in the gym, he's never felt that that's been part of his game. But after the Whyte fight he's felt he has to add that to his game, that 'I've got to be giving it back'… and we saw in the Whyte fight that he simply didn't.
"No-one will ever treat him like that again."
Joseph Parker looking fast and powerful in training
Kiwi heavyweight Joseph Parker's getting through plenty of skills and drills at his Las Vegas training camp.
It's now about being street-wise.
"To describe it as ring craft would be a push because there are rules. Hitting guys in the back of the head, hitting them low, picking them up and trying to throw them over the top rope, I don't think that's ring craft, I think that's totally illegal tactics and no other country in the world would allow it," Barry said in a slight on Whyte and the British scene
"I don't think we'll have to do it against Flores – I think he's a clean guy. But I think it was important to make that adjustment and it's important to Joe to know if he wanted to do something then he can."
DUNCAN JOHNSTONE IN LAS VEGAS
Joseph Parker has vowed to be more aggressive for his return to the boxing ring on December 15.
Joseph Parker is adding some dirty tricks to his arsenal, determined there will be no more Mr Nice Guy in the boxing ring.
The New Zealand heavyweight is wrapping up his training camp in Las Vegas and is adamant he will bring a more aggressive approach to his December 15 fight in Christchurch against Mexican-American Alexander Flores.
There was universal criticism of Parker's inability to respond to the rough-house tactics of Dillian Whyte in his July loss to the rugged Brit in London, a setback that followed his world unification defeat to Anthony Joshua where he admitted he was too cautious.
Parker and his trainer Kevin Barry have addressed those losses, making the mongrel factor a priority over the past eight weeks for a bout he must win with an exclamation mark as he attempts to fight his way back up the rankings and into title contention again.
It's been a tough lesson for the mild-mannered Parker but it's been even tougher on his sparring partners who have worn the brunt of his frustrations. They were warned by Barry that things could get rough and that's the way it has played out as Parker looks to find a new ruthlessness for this next stage of his career.
"We have always talked about being aggressive and not being Mr Nice Guy, but we haven't done it," Parker said.
"I haven't really shown it in camp and if you aren't showing it in camp, how are you going to show it in the fight? Now we are seeing it more in camp, we are familiarising ourselves with it in the gym.
"A lot of people questioned if I could be a mongrel with the Dillian Whyte fight, so with this training camp, if you ask the sparring partners, I've hit them down here [points to groin], tripped them up, thrown them around the ring.
"I feel it's something we have to do. You not only have to box smart, you have to be ruthless in the ring.
"Being nice outside the ring and being nice in the ring doesn't work. I feel it's important to be an all-round fighter ... I can be good technically but I have to be good at roughing it up, wrestling, all that sort of stuff. I think it's just adding an extra thing to your arsenal."
Parker has put Flores on notice that he won't stand for any nonsense in Christchurch.
"Come fight night if he tries to do any dirty tricks, I will counter with dirtier ones. So if I have to punch him low I will, if I have to elbow him in the face I will. Now it's not about talking about it, I'm going to be about it."
Parker said there was a need to up the ante.
"I think in the last two fights I haven't really shown the aggression I needed to show. Kevin is imploring it in my mind every single day."
Aware of the question marks over their partnership, Barry and Parker had a real heart-to-heart discussion after the Whyte fight where Parker was headbutted, elbowed and wrestled through the ropes by a ruthless opponent who was prepared to do anything to get a victory that has put him on the verge of a world title fight.
Barry has vowed Parker won't allow himself to be treated like that again, starting with this "no holds barred" camp.
"We all knew Dillian Whyte was a rough guy but I don't think we realised to what extent and to what extremes he would go to. And also what the officials would let him get away with," Barry said.
Trainer Kevin Barry has been insistent that Joseph Parker be prepared to counter any questionable tactics by opponents in the future.
"I've had Joe hitting his sparring partners to just about every part of their body. I've had him taking guys to the floor, I've had him with his forearm choking guys – stuff we've never done before.
"Every day after sparring I apologise to his sparring partners for the s**t he's doing, and they get it.
"To be completely honest, a lot of things I've taught Joe over the years and trained for in the gym, he's never felt that that's been part of his game. But after the Whyte fight he's felt he has to add that to his game, that 'I've got to be giving it back'… and we saw in the Whyte fight that he simply didn't.
"No-one will ever treat him like that again."
Joseph Parker looking fast and powerful in training
Kiwi heavyweight Joseph Parker's getting through plenty of skills and drills at his Las Vegas training camp.
It's now about being street-wise.
"To describe it as ring craft would be a push because there are rules. Hitting guys in the back of the head, hitting them low, picking them up and trying to throw them over the top rope, I don't think that's ring craft, I think that's totally illegal tactics and no other country in the world would allow it," Barry said in a slight on Whyte and the British scene
"I don't think we'll have to do it against Flores – I think he's a clean guy. But I think it was important to make that adjustment and it's important to Joe to know if he wanted to do something then he can."