Joseph Parker insists he has learned from his defeat to Anthony Joshua and feels he is better than upcoming opponent Dillian Whyte in most departments.
The New Zealander fought Joshua in Cardiff back in March, when he held the WBO heavyweight title, and was criticised in some quarters following his display.
Some pundits suggested Parker was too cautious in that fight, something he promises won?t happen when he meets Whyte at the O2 Arena next weekend.
The 26-year-old admitted to Sky Sports: I didn’t throw enough punches and didn’t put him under enough pressure. But I gained experience. In this fight [against Whyte], I can put on a display.
“He (Whyte) can question it all he likes but, come fight night, he will see the courage that’s in me.”
Whyte, who lost to Joshua 2015, had called Parker’s display “cowardly” and felt he had “got to go after it” when he realised he was behind on the scorecards.
But Parker has warned that things will be a lot different when the pair go toe-to-toe in London.
Parker, who is four years younger than his opponent, has a 24-1 record and Whyte is 23-1, with Joshua the only fighter to beat the pair.
The man from Auckland believes he has the overall ability to get back to winning ways on July 28 as he seeks a re-match with Joshua.
Joseph stated: “I can move, I can box, I can fight, I can go to war. I have better speed, I have better movement.”
Whyte and Joshua’s promoter, Eddie Hearn, feels Parker has a lot to prove in this fight if he is to stand a chance of claiming another world title belt.
Hearn said: “What I love about Whyte-Parker is that they didn’t need to take this fight but they want it because they love a tear-up.
“You rarely get a former world champion and someone on the cusp fighting each other. Parker wants a rematch against Joshua – he’s got some work to do to get it.”
