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Joseph Parker challenges Anthony Joshua to 'back up' trash talk

Joseph Parker has responded to Anthony Joshua's comments after revealing he has made a proposal to fight the Brit.

Joseph Parker has got a re-match with Anthony Joshua firmly in his sights and he has urged the Brit to "back up" his trash talk.
The pair met four years ago in an unspectacular match up that Joshua won on points. AJ collected a third world title belt when he cruised to victory over WBO champion, Parker.

He won convincingly on the scorecards - 118-110, 118-110 and 119-109 - but he did get dragged the distance for the first time in his professional career.

And Parker believes he has improved sufficiently enough to reverse the result if the pair meet again.

"I saw what Anthony Joshua has said. He is keen to fight me and smoke me? Come on, he couldn't smoke me the first time. Back up what he's saying then and let's get on with it. Then let's see who gets smoked," Parker told Vegas Insider.

Parker (30-2) has linked up with new trainer Andy Lee. He paired up with the cousin of Tyson Fury after his win over Junior Fa in February last year.

The Auckland fighter had looked lethargic and slow as he climbed through the heavyweight ranks, but he seems revitalised under Lee.
He was involved in a titanic battle in the re-match with Derek Chisora in December. After a split-decison victory the first time, Parker secured a unanimous decision second time around after knocking the Brit down three times.

New style

Parker has been seen regularly training with close pal Fury and he is convinced a new style can pay dividends against Joshua.

"The first fight in 2018 wasn't exciting but it came down to us both. If we had a re-match it would be different. If not from him, definitely from me," added Parker.

"I have been staying on track with training, practicing what Andy Lee has been teaching me and I'm a lot more confident. Time to punch pricks in the face and enjoy it.

"With Andy in my corner and with the new training and newish style we have worked on, I'll have a lot more confidence. And I only see myself improving and getting better from now on."
Joshua, who this week said he would "smoke" Parker is open to a fight with the New Zealander. And Parker has made it clear his camp have made the first move with Joshua's re-match with Oleksandr Usyk it huge doubt.

Usyk has returned to Ukraine to help defend his country against the Russia and Joshua is hunting around for an interim fight.


That could well be against Parker, if the 30-year-old gets his way.

"My manager David has reached out to Eddie and Frank about myself fighting Joshua.
"I have texted Frank Smith and said I can fight Joshua if Usyk and Joshua don't go ahead. It is unfinished business, I feel. I feel I'm on the rise. But I can't really comment whether he is or not. He is still at the top though," added Parker.

AJ should be fighting a southpaw

Joe Joyce is another fight that has been bandied around for Joshua, while he waits for Usyk.
But former WBO cruiserweight champion Enzo Maccarinelli believes that would be a dangerous fight for Joshua,
Instead the Welshman thinks it would make sense for Joshua to fight a southpaw in preparation for another go at Usyk and suggested either Otto Wallin or Luis Ortiz.
"Heard joe Joyce been offered to Aj great fight tbh but makes no sense for Aj if he's taking a stay busy fight waiting for usyk he should be fighting a southpaw no one can box like usyk but the dynamics would at least be the same so can see it being wallin or Ortiz (sic)," tweeted Maccarinelli.

Wallin, whose only career defeat came in a points loss to Fury in 2019, had been set to fight Dillian Whyte last October before the Brit withdrew with a shoulder injury.

He returned to action last month though and struggled to a points victory over Kamil Sokolowski in an eight-round contest.
Cuban Ortiz, 42, stopped Charles Martin at the start of 2022 in Florida. The intelligent southpaw survived two knockdowns to score a sixth-round stoppage.

Read more: Anthony Joshua and Derek Chisora disagree over domestic, interim opponent

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