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First things first, as Lucas Browne reappears on Joseph Parker's radar
DUNCAN JOHNSTONE
Australian heavyweight Lucas Browne finally gets to fight in New Zealand on Saturday.
Lucas Browne can wait for now as Joseph Parker's promoter David Higgins refuses to be drawn on his fighter's future beyond his looming Christchurch clash.
Parker fights Mexican-American Alexander Flores at the Horncastle Arena on December 15 in a comeback bout that will set up the next phase of his career. It's win at all costs really after suffering the first two losses of his career.
Higgins said the implications were clear: "For Joseph it really is potentially career-ending and he would have to consider his options if he were to lose."
Parker will be a warm favourite at home despite the uncertainty over Flores' true value, a Californian-based fighter who tracked a similar course to the Kiwi early on but didn't get the opportunities that came the south Aucklander's way as he claimed the WBO belt for a 15 month reign.
For Higgins, it will be about mapping a route back to the top on the back of what is hopefully an impressive victory for Parker and there appear to be increasing options.
Kiwi heavyweight Joseph Parker's getting through plenty of skills and drills at his Las Vegas training camp.
Rugged Australian Browne slipped into Auckland last week to fight in New Zealand for the first time and recorded a fifth-round knockout of Junior Pati.
It was Browne's second win since his horrific loss to Dillian Whyte in London in late March.
There was talk of Parker fighting Browne in December with Parker's trainer Kevin Barry keen. But that date came too quickly for the Perth-based fighter given the nature of his knockout loss to Whyte.
With Parker also being beaten by Whyte in July, albeit in a controversial points decision, there is a marketing opportunity to add to the traditional spice of a competitive trans-Tasman brawl.
Higgins and Parker have their hopes set on a return to Britain but if nothing can be arranged for early next year, Browne could become a worthy alternative once again. Don't forget, Browne was being lined up earlier this year until Higgins pulled off the seemingly impossible and delivered the heavyweight unification fight with Anthony Joshua in Cardiff.
Higgins met Browne in Auckland last week but wouldn't be drawn into his line of thinking.
"Joseph has a job to do on December 15 and so we won't worry about the future until December 16, then all options are on the table," Higgins said.
Browne's win over Pati took his record to 27-1. But time is running away on the 39-year-old who has had his share of doping problems and suspensions and is eager to try to cash in on the tail end of his career. A fight against Parker would certainly be a money-spinner for him.
Browne's seriousness about resurrecting his career is portrayed in his new physique. Horribly out of shape against Whyte and paying the price for that, Browne has lost a lot of weight and fought twice in the past eight weeks, following an earlier KO of Julius Long in Australia.
Browne has also expressed a desire to fight New York-based Polish heavyweight Adam Kownacki who is 18-0 and coming off a win against former IBF champion Charles Martin and now has the respected Gerald Washington in his sights.
The dollars, as usual, will do the talking and for Parker there is immense pressure to get the job done in style against Flores. Then, as Higgins said, all options are on the table.
Parker is winding up his latest training camp in Las Vegas.
He and Higgins and Barry transfer to Los Angeles on Friday to take in the latest world heavyweight title fight between WBC champion Deontay Wilder of the United States and Britain's Tyson Fury at the Staples Centre.
Parker then flies to New Zealand, arriving on Tuesday to fine-tune his preparations for Flores.
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."
(11-29-2018, 05:37 PM)diehard Wrote: [ -> ]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."
Sorry, but I can't read another 'no more mister nice guy/ we've worked on things'' etc etc article on Joseph Parker.
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.
Boxing: Homesick Joseph Parker considers moving back to Auckland fulltime
Alex Flores is confident he will knock Joseph parker out when he enters enemy territory on December 15
Patrick McKendry
Joseph Parker has revealed the personal toll of being away from his family during his camps in Las Vegas and has weighed up returning full-time to Auckland.
Parker has two daughters: Elizabeth, 18 months old, and Shiloh, six months, with partner Laine. Shiloh's birth in July has taken Parker's homesickness to a new level during his camp as he trains for his fight against Alexander Flores in Christchurch in a fortnight.
In a first, Laine and Elizabeth plan to be ringside at Horncastle Arena for the fight, Parker's first since consecutive losses to Anthony Joshua and Dillian Whyte in the United Kingdom.
However, rather than return to New Zealand, Parker is likely to compromise and bring his family to Las Vegas while in camp. He currently stays with the family of his trainer Kevin Barry, with whom he is close, and would likely rent an apartment to stay in with Laine and his daughters.
"This has been the hardest time," Parker said. "It was hard with my first daughter and now it's even harder because there are two. We're going to make a plan about having them here during camp because I think it's important to pursue the career and titles we want to get to but I don't want to miss out on family time — the growth — and seeing them every day."
Parker has stayed with Barry in Las Vegas since the pair linked in 2013, a year after the Kiwi heavyweight turned professional.
The main benefits of training in Las Vegas are its elevation above sea level (900m) and access to quality sparring partners. It seems a contradiction because of Las Vegas' well-earned reputation as a party town but an added advantage of the 26-year-old staying away has been to remove him from temptation.
"Before he won the world title, Joe was a young guy with a lot of friends, and as he grew in stature and fame, a lot of them wanted him for this and that and parties," Barry said. "When you're training, you need to be training and removed from that. But he was a younger and less mature guy at the time and he's matured a lot."
Parker added: "I think it would be too hard in New Zealand. Here it's elevated and I have access to sparring partners… it's easier here and we have a great set-up that has worked for the last five or six years.
"But guys like Shane Cameron and David Tua did a good job in New Zealand – it can be done."
I hate Duco marketing, I didn't want to watch this fight, and then they went and put on a respectable undercard (not great but OK enough), and now I expect Joe will smash Flores and I really want to see Joe smash someone.
So now I'm thinking about ordering the fight, because I want to support kiwi boxers, even though I know it's not worth the money
fuk
I know mippy, I'm in the same boat. $25 maybe. $40 no way. But a great undercard, and I want to see Parker and Fa. AND, if I go to a pub to see it, I'll spend half that anyway.
So I'll probably order it and curse Mr Higgins while I do. No Mr Higgins, no. It's over-priced. Ok, I'll order it. Damn.
Ill never pay for a Duco card
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