WBO heavyweight champion Joseph Parker will take on Anthony Joshua in a heavyweight title unification on March 31st and had some rather signficant sparring offered to him for the fight.

From Ring Magazine heavyweight champion Tyson Fury no less.

Indeed, Fury extended the offer in recent weeks and has gone on record before when speaking of his respect for the New Zealander.

Both famously shared a weekend binge on the booze with one another after Parker beat Tyson’s cousin Hughie Fury last year in Manchester.

No hard feelings clearly exist on either end following that night, but speaking to Radio Live, Parker said he will leave off the sparring offer from Fury:

“Tyson Fury’s a great guy, but with all due respect to him, I don’t think it’s the right person to spar because he moves around well for a big guy and he doesn’t come forward, and he’s a lot taller.”

Certainly Joshua and Fury are hugely different fight styles to prepare for. So you can kind of see where Parker is coming from with this.

Fury and Joshua also have their own bone to pick later this year and no doubt will be eyeing one another’s next bouts very, very closely indeed.