Parker: Surround Yourself With Champions, You’ll Have A Champion’s Mindset Yourself

Another camp spent in the presence of the best heavyweight in the world has Joseph Parker confident of making a second title run.

The former WBO heavyweight champion is feeling better than ever ahead of a dangerous clash with undefeated contender Joe Joyce. Their interim title fight takes place this Saturday at AO Arena in Manchester, England, the third consecutive appearance at the venue for New Zealand’s Parker, as well as his third fight with the head trainer and former WBO middleweight champion. Andy Lee.

A huge benefit of working with Lee is also getting more time in the gym with lineal/WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury (32-0-1, 23KO). Parker has found the experience invaluable to the point where he feels even better than when he had a major title.

“You only surround yourself with champions, you will have the mentality of a champion,” Parker said at the end of training camp in Morecambe, England. “I have always been strong-minded. With Tyson and Andy Lee around and the whole team, I’m still building on that.

“Coming into this fight, I am confident that I can get the job done. I’ve done the work, so there’s no question, don’t worry. When the fight comes, this lump is going to have a lump on its head.”

Parker (30-2, 21KOs) has won six fights in a row since suffering the only two losses of his career in back-to-back fights in 2018. The last two have come since he was linked with Lee and, more generally, Fury. —Last March, both wins came against Derek Chisora ​​and at the AO Arena. Parker escaped with a split decision victory in his first fight last May before winning a competitive but convincing twelve-round unanimous decision in their rematch with him last December.

“You are going to see a more improved Joseph Parker,” the former champion insisted. “The first camp with Andy Lee was more of an introduction, learning a new style, trying new things. The second camp was even better, you saw it with the second Chisora ​​fight.

“This camp, [Lee] has added so much more to me [arsenal]. When I get into this fight, I can take care of business and beat this guy.”

Joyce-Parker will headline a BT Sport box office event in the UK and will be broadcast live on ESPN+ in the US.

Jake Donovan is a senior writer for BoxingScene.com. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox