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Anthony Joshua confident he can keep crown as 'king of the jungle' in toughest match-up yet against Joseph Parker

Anthony Joshua - Anthony Joshua confident he can keep crown as 'king of the jungle' in toughest match-up yet against Joseph Parker - Getty Images Europe
Anthony Joshua - Anthony Joshua confident he can keep crown as 'king of the jungle' in toughest match-up yet against Joseph Parker - Getty Images Europe

Anthony Joshua believes his world heavyweight unification clash with New Zealander Joseph Parker in Cardiff on Saturday week in front of another huge stadium crowd will provide the sternest test of his career. 

The International Boxing Federation and World Boxing Association heavyweight champion clearly has huge respect for his opponent, whom he believes is a “better all-round” fighter than the World Boxing Council champion Deontay Wilder.

Joshua, who made the fifth defence of his IBF title against Carlos Takam in the same venue last October, will earn close to £20 million for his latest fight, with Parker, the World Boxing Organisation champion, set to net a career-high £7 million.

“It will be my toughest style match-up,” said Joshua at his training camp, the English Institute of Sport in Sheffield.

“People want to see how good you are with every fight. You can’t rest on your laurels in boxing. One win doesn’t define you. People want to see how long you can keep reigning as the king of the jungle.”

Anthony Joshua and Joseph Parker - Anthony Joshua confident he can keep crown as 'king of the jungle' in toughest match-up yet against Joseph Parker - Credit: Getty Images
Joshua will go up against Joseph Parker on Saturday week Credit: Getty Images

But he said his experience in his last two stadium fights – the first of which was in front of a record 90,000 at Wembley Stadium 11 months ago – had left him well able to deal with the pressure which is bound to come with 80,000 tickets already sold for the fight at the Principality Stadium.

“It’s a national holiday [every time I fight]. But I don’t feel the pressure. When you talk about pressure, it’s what I put on myself, isn’t it? I know that boxing doesn’t stop here. The pressure is more on my performance.

“I know I can slug out a win, we have always got that. But I want a standout boxing performance against Parker to make my stock rise. Opinions are always good. If Parker loses, he will come again and vice versa.”

Nor does history excite him unduly in spite of the fact that this is the first heavyweight unification fight to be held on British shores.

“Not really. Do people know about history? I think people just see it as a unification fight but in terms of stats and facts, it’s massive. 

“People who really study or know boxing closely know how big a fight this is, that’s why Parker is taking it dead serious and so am I. It’s big news for this current time in the heavyweight division.”

Anthony Joshua - Anthony Joshua confident he can keep crown as 'king of the jungle' in toughest match-up yet against Joseph Parker - Credit:  PA
Joshua appeared relaxed this week during an open training session in Sheffield Credit: PA

Joshua believes Parker is a superior fighter to Wilder. “When you talk about Parker you talk about his speed, his stamina, he’s got a good chin. There are more stats and facts than he just has a right hand. Parker has an all-round game, that is what makes it a dangerous fight for me. It will be my toughest style match-up.”

Looking back on Wilder’s title defence 18 days ago against Cuban Luis Ortiz, in New York, Joshua added: “When he won, I just thought he’s supposed to do that. He’s a 10-year pro. He turned pro in 2009 after the Beijing Olympics, so after nine years as a pro, you’re supposed to beat Ortiz.

“It was his 40th fight. I just looked it vice versa and thought by my 40th fight, no one should be giving me problems. I just thought, by my 40th fight, I should be a seasoned professional. He’s still learning, which is good. He might well go on and beat Mayweather’s record.”

But Parker, though, assessed Joshua was a “tougher fight”.

“Yeah, all round, he is: left hook, right hand, swings one right to the body, he likes a left hook to the body. I haven’t seen Wilder throw that many body shots. Wilder relies on the right hand and his power, so I think Parker is a better all-rounder.”

Eddie Hearn, Joshua’s promoter, reflected his amazement at the boxer’s coolness under pressure. “Last time was tough but this time it’s a unification fight. There’s a lot on the line.

“Everyone expects him to win every fight easy. Look at the odds. He is a massive favourite against Haye, Wilder, everyone. There’s a massive presumption that he is going to knock everyone out. That’s added pressure. I don’t think he feels it though. 

“The odds for this fight are crazy, he’s a massive favourite for a fight with two undefeated champions. I think, technically, this is a tougher fight than Wilder.”

  • Joshua v Parker is live on Sky Box Office on March 31