01-03-2021, 01:13 PM
Boxing: Joseph Parker's speed is a path back to heavyweight title, says Sergio Mora
Former WBC light middleweight champion believes speed is what will lead Joseph Parker back to boxing's heavyweight title.
Parker returns to the ring against Junior Fa on February 27, at Auckland's Spark Arena - his first fight in 367 days - with his eyes firmly planted on 2021 bringing him back to the top of the heavyweight mountain.
Parker came up short against WBC, IBF and WBO heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua in a unification bout back in 2018, and hasn't fought a top ten fighter since July of the same year when he went the distance with Dillian Whyte in a slugfest.
But, he still possess the skills to reach the heights of December 2016 when he outpointed Andy Ruiz to win the WBO strap acording to the 40-year-old Californian known as 'The Latin Snake'.
Speaking to Newshub, Mora - who is now one of the sports leading analysts with DAZN - believes Parker's fast hands and exceptional movement sets him aside from the rest of the division.
"The first I watched [Joseph] Parker live was the Anthony Joshua fight and I was super impressed," Mora says.
"Yes he came up short, but he was the first guy to go the distance with Joshua and Parker's style forced the champion to adjust the gameplan that had seen him decimate the entire division.
"Parker has the type of speed that kills, his chin is something special and he is a true warrior with the Pacific Island spirit. I can see him right back in the mix with a couple more wins.
"It's the heavyweight division - anything can happen and Parker impresses me."
Another fighter that impresses Mora is undefeated lightweight Ryan Garcia. Tipped to be one of boxing's next superstars, the undefeated American faces his toughest test on Sunday against former Olympic gold medallist Luke Campbell.
Mora will be ringside for DAZN come fight night and he believes a fight of the year candidate is on the cards.
"[Luke] Campbell is the real deal," Mora says. "He has credentials that Garcia has never seen before. I know he's lost a couple of fights, but we are talking about [Jorge] Linares and Vasyl Lomachenko - two of the very best guys in the world.
"Campbell is slick and has that British toughness about him. I just can't see Garcia running through him inside a couple of rounds like he has everyone else."
Garcia has 17 stoppage wins in 20 fights, including 16 inside four rounds - showing off power that is unheard of in the lightweight division.
"He is a very gifted fighter and I can see him at the top of the division in the years to come.
"But Campbell will be in his face and will try and push the pace and stay inside and out of Garcia's range. That is a style that Ryan hasn't really seen before, so it will be a big test for him against a technically smart guy who legitimately has the ability to cause him problems."
The bout is live on DAZN from 9am Sunday.
Former WBC light middleweight champion believes speed is what will lead Joseph Parker back to boxing's heavyweight title.
Parker returns to the ring against Junior Fa on February 27, at Auckland's Spark Arena - his first fight in 367 days - with his eyes firmly planted on 2021 bringing him back to the top of the heavyweight mountain.
Parker came up short against WBC, IBF and WBO heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua in a unification bout back in 2018, and hasn't fought a top ten fighter since July of the same year when he went the distance with Dillian Whyte in a slugfest.
But, he still possess the skills to reach the heights of December 2016 when he outpointed Andy Ruiz to win the WBO strap acording to the 40-year-old Californian known as 'The Latin Snake'.
Speaking to Newshub, Mora - who is now one of the sports leading analysts with DAZN - believes Parker's fast hands and exceptional movement sets him aside from the rest of the division.
"The first I watched [Joseph] Parker live was the Anthony Joshua fight and I was super impressed," Mora says.
"Yes he came up short, but he was the first guy to go the distance with Joshua and Parker's style forced the champion to adjust the gameplan that had seen him decimate the entire division.
"Parker has the type of speed that kills, his chin is something special and he is a true warrior with the Pacific Island spirit. I can see him right back in the mix with a couple more wins.
"It's the heavyweight division - anything can happen and Parker impresses me."
Another fighter that impresses Mora is undefeated lightweight Ryan Garcia. Tipped to be one of boxing's next superstars, the undefeated American faces his toughest test on Sunday against former Olympic gold medallist Luke Campbell.
Mora will be ringside for DAZN come fight night and he believes a fight of the year candidate is on the cards.
"[Luke] Campbell is the real deal," Mora says. "He has credentials that Garcia has never seen before. I know he's lost a couple of fights, but we are talking about [Jorge] Linares and Vasyl Lomachenko - two of the very best guys in the world.
"Campbell is slick and has that British toughness about him. I just can't see Garcia running through him inside a couple of rounds like he has everyone else."
Garcia has 17 stoppage wins in 20 fights, including 16 inside four rounds - showing off power that is unheard of in the lightweight division.
"He is a very gifted fighter and I can see him at the top of the division in the years to come.
"But Campbell will be in his face and will try and push the pace and stay inside and out of Garcia's range. That is a style that Ryan hasn't really seen before, so it will be a big test for him against a technically smart guy who legitimately has the ability to cause him problems."
The bout is live on DAZN from 9am Sunday.