11-30-2018, 10:38 AM
Alexander Flores says he will knock out 'flawed' Joseph Parker
Duncan Johnstone in Las Vegas
Alexander Flores is talking up a big performance for his heavyweight fight with Joseph Parker.
Alexander Flores has questioned Joseph Parker's fitness and accused the Kiwi of already looking past him as the two heavyweights get set to clash in Christchurch.
Flores and Parker are winding up their camps in the United States and are ready to transfer to New Zealand for the December 15 fight.
Flores fronted the media at the gym of Parker and Kevin Barry in Las Vegas on Friday and while there was plenty of respect for the Kiwis, he made it clear he saw his opponent as far from perfect.
He quickly zeroed in on Parker's latest loss to Dillian Whyte in London in July.
"I see a lot of flaws," Flores said.
Alexander Flores felt Joseph Parker was "sloppy" in his loss to Dillian Whyte in London.
"I can tell you one thing for sure, he does get tired. The fight with Dillian Whyte – how are you a world champion but get sloppy and tired like that?
"He should be looking fresh from the first round to the last round. I just hope he's been getting up and doing his running."
Flores seemed to ignore the headbutt from Whyte that dazed Parker through the middle rounds and his questions over the Kiwi's durability are debatable.
Kiwi heavyweight Joseph Parker's getting through plenty of skills and drills at his Las Vegas training camp.
Parker has gone 12 rounds in last five fights, including being the only man to take unified champion Anthony Joshua the distance.
In contrast, Flores has never gone beyond eight, using his knockout power for 15 of his 17 wins.
Looking trim and fit, Flores was confident he could go the distance with Parker if required but was adamant he would be the first fighter to knock out the former WBO champion.
"I'm fighting on his home territory so it can't be close but the fight definitely won't go the 10 rounds, I can promise you that. I'm knocking out Joseph Parker on December 15," he boldly predicted.
"He's either not going to come off the stool or he's not going to get up … I guarantee you that."
The 29-year-old wondered about Parker's focus given the persistent talk from the Kiwi camp about wanting a rematch with Whyte and an eagerness to return to the lucrative British scene.
"I think they're underestimating me. I feel that Parker didn't want to fight, I think his promoter made him. I think they're looking past me to another Whyte fight. He's talking about a knockout but it's not going to happen," Flores said.
Asked what threats he saw in Parker, Flores said: "His speed I guess, and his jab, but I will be ready for whatever Joseph brings."
Parker sees an impressive win over Flores springboarding him back into the title mix but his Californian-based opponent is equally ambitious. He feels promotional problems have been his biggest handicap and he's eager to make up for lost time, knowing a win over a class opponent like Parker would open doors.
"I have my dreams too, I want to be the first Mexican heavyweight champion of the world," Flores said.
He feels he is in the best shape of his career, coming off sparring with former world champion Charles Martin, the only fighter to beat him, contender Dominic Breazeale and Andy Ruiz Jnr, the tough Mexican that Parker beat two years ago to win his world title.
Flores' trainer Mike Love said there had been other high quality sparring partners used. But refused to go into detail, other than to say that California was a "hot bed" of heavyweight talent at the moment with the division buzzing about this weekend's WBC title fight between American Deontay Wilder and Tyson Fury in Los Angeles.
Duncan Johnstone in Las Vegas
Alexander Flores is talking up a big performance for his heavyweight fight with Joseph Parker.
Alexander Flores has questioned Joseph Parker's fitness and accused the Kiwi of already looking past him as the two heavyweights get set to clash in Christchurch.
Flores and Parker are winding up their camps in the United States and are ready to transfer to New Zealand for the December 15 fight.
Flores fronted the media at the gym of Parker and Kevin Barry in Las Vegas on Friday and while there was plenty of respect for the Kiwis, he made it clear he saw his opponent as far from perfect.
He quickly zeroed in on Parker's latest loss to Dillian Whyte in London in July.
"I see a lot of flaws," Flores said.
Alexander Flores felt Joseph Parker was "sloppy" in his loss to Dillian Whyte in London.
"I can tell you one thing for sure, he does get tired. The fight with Dillian Whyte – how are you a world champion but get sloppy and tired like that?
"He should be looking fresh from the first round to the last round. I just hope he's been getting up and doing his running."
Flores seemed to ignore the headbutt from Whyte that dazed Parker through the middle rounds and his questions over the Kiwi's durability are debatable.
Kiwi heavyweight Joseph Parker's getting through plenty of skills and drills at his Las Vegas training camp.
Parker has gone 12 rounds in last five fights, including being the only man to take unified champion Anthony Joshua the distance.
In contrast, Flores has never gone beyond eight, using his knockout power for 15 of his 17 wins.
Looking trim and fit, Flores was confident he could go the distance with Parker if required but was adamant he would be the first fighter to knock out the former WBO champion.
"I'm fighting on his home territory so it can't be close but the fight definitely won't go the 10 rounds, I can promise you that. I'm knocking out Joseph Parker on December 15," he boldly predicted.
"He's either not going to come off the stool or he's not going to get up … I guarantee you that."
The 29-year-old wondered about Parker's focus given the persistent talk from the Kiwi camp about wanting a rematch with Whyte and an eagerness to return to the lucrative British scene.
"I think they're underestimating me. I feel that Parker didn't want to fight, I think his promoter made him. I think they're looking past me to another Whyte fight. He's talking about a knockout but it's not going to happen," Flores said.
Asked what threats he saw in Parker, Flores said: "His speed I guess, and his jab, but I will be ready for whatever Joseph brings."
Parker sees an impressive win over Flores springboarding him back into the title mix but his Californian-based opponent is equally ambitious. He feels promotional problems have been his biggest handicap and he's eager to make up for lost time, knowing a win over a class opponent like Parker would open doors.
"I have my dreams too, I want to be the first Mexican heavyweight champion of the world," Flores said.
He feels he is in the best shape of his career, coming off sparring with former world champion Charles Martin, the only fighter to beat him, contender Dominic Breazeale and Andy Ruiz Jnr, the tough Mexican that Parker beat two years ago to win his world title.
Flores' trainer Mike Love said there had been other high quality sparring partners used. But refused to go into detail, other than to say that California was a "hot bed" of heavyweight talent at the moment with the division buzzing about this weekend's WBC title fight between American Deontay Wilder and Tyson Fury in Los Angeles.