By Sonia RANDEV
This week Matchroom boxing announced the highly anticipated world title unification bout between WBO world heavy weight champion Joseph Parker and WBA, IBF and IBO world heavy weight champion Anthony Joshua.
The fight is set to take place on March 31st at the Principality Stadium, Cardiff where the two men will battle it out, putting all belts on the line.
At a press conference earlier this week, Anthony Joshua expressed his desire to a packed media room that adding the WBO title to his collection will pave the way for a showdown with WBC World Heavy Weight Champion Deontay Wilder.
“It’s good to be back, doing what I enjoy. Last time I was out was in Cardiff. It was a great night. I took my time cause I knew I really wanted to set up for a big 2018.I didn’t do nothing spectacular but I made sure I got the win and that was the most important thing. Now we are here and as I said it’s kind of about making history now and we’ve always been moving in that direction so it’s an honour to be up here with another World Champ.”
With Joseph Parker’s Promoter causing a stir in the build up to securing this fight, his comments were not taken too lightly by Anthony Joshua’s Promoter Eddie Hearn who questioned David Higgins remarks:
“You can’t say what you’ve been saying and then when you are five feet away from him, let your bum deceive you. You just said that he might have some mental weaknesses but you actually said he is mentally weaker. You don’t do what he has been doing if you are mentally weak. You don’t walk out in front of your home city and win gold at the Olympics. You don’t walk out in front of 80’000, empty your tank, get up of the floor and stop Wladimir Klitschko if you are mentally weak. You also said he has a glass chin, we are going to break his glass chin, don’t tell me, tell him, he’s sat right here.”
Joseph Parker last fought on UK soil in Manchester, defending his belt against Hughie Fury whom many thought had done enough to beat the man from New Zealand.
Speaking to the press,Parker said he is going to train extremely hard for this fight as he has a big challenge in front of him:
“This is going to be the hardest in terms of training and putting the most work in as I have a big challenge in front of me.Joshua, i’ve watched him for a long time and he’s watched me. I know his strengths, mind and weaknesses. Hopefully I’ll catch him on the chin and knock him out.”
Anthony Joshua believes this fight will bring fireworks and be a great fight for the spectators.
“We’ll bring fireworks. It’s going to be good. It will take more than a human to stop me from where I’m destined to be.”
Anthony Joshua vs Joseph Parker live on Sky Sports Box Office, March 31st at the Principality Stadium – Cardiff.
Expect a big drama show and quite possibly one of Joshua’s hardest battles to overcome on his journey to world heavy weight domination.
