Parker warns Dubois to expect different fighter

Joseph Parker has warned Daniel Dubois to expect a very different fighter to the one beaten by Anthony Joshua.

The 33 year old New Zealand native won the championship nine years ago by outpointing Andy Ruiz Jr to become his country’s first heavyweight world titleholder. However, his stint as champion was short-lived; lasting just 15 months and two defences before Joshua defeated him in Cardiff.

Parker has since suffered defeats to British fighters Dillian Whyte and Joe Joyce but bounced back with notable victories over Deontay Wilder and Zhilei Zhang, propelling him towards a shot at Dubois’ world title. Acknowledging that he initially grappled with grasping the magnitude of his achievement nearly a decade earlier, Parker today declares he won’t repeat past mistakes.

“Turning professional at 20 is a very young age and being champion of the world at 24… you’ve achieved what you set out to achieve and you wonder what’s next,” he said. “I didn’t have any thoughts about unification fights or becoming undisputed, it was just about being champion of the word.

“This time it’s different; I’m more mature, I understand what I’m doing and what I want in boxing. I want to be champion of the world, I want to be the unified champion of the world and avenge the losses I’ve had. Then I want to retire a happy man and spend time with my kids.I’m more confident in the work I’m doing and I enjoy it more. I love training, I love camp and I love the team I have. I’ve found the right formula that works for me and that’s why I enjoy boxing now. It’s a grind but it’s a grind I enjoy every day.”

to the fight as an underdog against Dubois after the Brit’s emphatic victory over Joshua last year, Parker remains unshaken, well-aware of the stakes if he lets another British fighter best him.

“I always believed I had the ability to do well in boxing again, but when you have a few defeats and things are not going your way, you start asking yourself questions,” he added. “I think those questions helped get me to where I am today: ‘What am I doing wrong? Am I eating the right food? Am I training the right way? Am I resting enough? Is this the right thing, is that the right thing?’ I never had any doubt, and I never wanted to give up ever, but I knew I had to make changes.

“You take it a fight at a time, and now we’re back fighting for a championship. It’s beautiful – it’s a nice feeling. It makes it worth it, missing out on Christmases, New Years, birthdays, weddings and all that. It makes it worth it, knowing I’m fighting for a title and a chance to be champion of the world again.”