WBO heavyweight champion Joseph Parker is on the verge of signing his deal to fight Anthony Joshua and his coach has given him a strict weight to make for the fight.
Stylistically you’d have to think Parker, if he’s to beat Joshua, will need to come in very light – built for speed and stamina.
Surely their game plan will be to try to out move and possibly out work the bigger, in theory, more susceptible to fatigue, Joshua.
Speaking to Sky Sports, Joseph Parker’s coach Kevin Barry said he has a strict target for his main to make for the Joshua fight:
“I think the last fight we weighed 112kg. I want to see Joe somewhere around the 108kg.”
Joshua in his last bout against Carlos Takam came in a career heaviest and although got a second wind, like he did in the fight against Klitschko, did show in both contests that fatigue can be a factor for him when he takes rounds off against top-level competition.
It’s not surprising with the size of him. All that muscle needs oxygen. Personally, I’d like to see him come in a little lighter than he did for Takam.
Parker has a solid chin and likely won’t be blown away in a round or two like some of Joshua’s opponents – Joshua will need a good gas tank himself for this one.
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