Former WBO heavyweight champion Joseph Parker 30-2 (21) is looking forward to fighting at the AO Arena in Manchester, England for the fourth time when he takes on Joe ‘Juggernaut’ Joyce 14-0 (13) over 12 rounds for the vacant WBO interim heavyweight title on Saturday night.
The 30-year-old New Zealander has been victorious in his three bout at the venue to date, all of which came on points.
“That is my arena. Three wins, Hughie (Fury), Derek (Chisora) and Derek again, so I’m going to make it four,” Parker told the PA news agency.
“I know the UK supporters have been very good to me, very welcoming so I feel this is another home for me.
“I do know when I fight one of their own, they always support their own but there will be some I have taken as my own and will be cheering for me.
“I am looking forward to putting on a great show.”
The Joyce fight will be the sixth time Parker has fought in the UK, where he has been largely based since the coronavirus pandemic hit.
He shares a trainer with WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury in Andy Lee.
“Tyson is at most training sessions, we go for runs and he’s in the gym,” Parker said.
“He lets Andy teach me, train me and come up with game plans but he adds his advice when and where he can. When he is in the gym, he brings this positive vibe and good energy so it is always good to have Tyson in the gym. In his own gym that I have now made my own!”
Fury is expected to face longtime rival and former unified heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua in either late November or early December this year.
It comes after Fury announced his retirement following his sixth-round knockout of mandatory challenger Dillian Whyte in April.
“It will be good to see (Fury vs Joshua),” Parker said. “Tyson has retired multiple times and come back multiple times but I think he will be here a while in the boxing game. He still has a lot to give.”
The winner of Parker vs Joyce fight will become the mandatory challenger to Oleksandr Usyk, but that fight may not happen next as Team Joyce insisted on an immediate rematch clause in the contract that they can activate in the case of a loss.
“The rematch clause I don’t think should happen unless you are champion,” Parker said. “I think they just needed it to feel they are keeping their position as mandatory or number one but that is how much I back myself.
“I locked in the fight, I know what it takes to beat him, I know I can beat him and if he wants a rematch and another beating, I’ll give him another chance to lose again.
“Two-time world champion is kind of further down the line. I can see myself being world champion again but that is not really the immediate (goal).
“It is sitting there and I know what it takes but it is about being involved in these fights, winning these fights, winning well and being involved in exciting fights.”
He added: “Fighting Dillian Whyte again to avenge the loss I had, or fighting Joshua would be good, but none of those will ever work or happen if I don’t get rid of this guy first.
“Joe Joyce has my full 100 per cent attention and I want to punch his face first before I punch their faces.”
