Anthony Joshua to defend world heavyweight titles against WBO champion Joseph Parker in Cardiff

Fight night | Anthony Joshua will fight Joseph Parker in March
Reuters/Andrew Couldridge
John Dillon14 January 2018

Anthony Joshua is set for a fiery face-to-face meeting with Joseph Parker on Tuesday after their heavyweight title collision was officially confirmed for March 31 in Cardiff.

Undefeated Kiwi Parker and his promotional team have spent weeks attempting to rile Londoner Joshua during protracted talks to tie down the deal for the unification battle at the 80,000 capacity Principality Stadium.

And the WBO champion instantly launched another barb at WBA and IBF belt-holder Joshua as soon as the announcement confirming their date had been made – declaring: “Anthony Joshua is in for a huge shock. A couple of months ago I heard him say ‘why should I be worried about this little kid from New Zealand’?

“Well, now he’s about to find out. And the world is about to find out whether AJ can really take a punch. My entire existence is now devoted to proving what the boxing world already knows.”

In Pictures | Anthony Joshua's professional fights

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The fighters will meet at a press conference in London on Tuesday after Parker, 26, also gave an interview in which he declared he will smash Joshua’s “glass chin.”

Joshua – who is also unbeaten in 20 contests – said: “It is a unification heavyweight championship fight and we all know what happened last time I was in a unification heavyweight championship fight against Wladimir Klitschko last year.

“It was gruelling, it was interesting and we both left the ring with masses of respect.

“These fights aren’t easy because there is a lot on the line. So respect to team Parker for taking the challenge. And you know me, I love this game. I am looking forward to it, training camp is underway and before you know it March 31 will be upon us. “

Photo: Phil Walter/Getty Images
Phil Walter/Getty Images

Promoter Eddie Hearn admitted negotiations had been tough and said: “I'm delighted to get this fight made – it’s been a long time coming.

“It's the first time in history that two reigning heavyweight World champions have met in Britain and it’s a classic match-up between two young, fast, undefeated belt holders.

“It’s going to be an explosive fight. This is another huge unification fight for Anthony as he continues to make history in the quest to become undisputed World heavyweight champion.”

Joshua is known for maintaining a relaxed demeanour in public but the comments made by Parker and his team during the fight talks suggest they will attempt to stir things up at the head-to-head meeting.

Watford’s Joshua will be the favourite to beat if Parker - and he would then seek a date later this year against America’s unbeaten WBC champion Deontay Wilder, with the aim of holding the belts of the four major sanctioning bodies to confirm undisputed status.

Wilder fights Cuban Luis Ortiz in New York on March 3.

Joshua set a world record indoor boxing attendance of 78,000 when he stopped late substitute Carlos Takam in his last fight at the same Cardiff venue last October.

A similar crowd will be expected for the Parker fight.

Parker has won all 24 of his fights but did not particularly impress in his last contest – a points win over Hughie Fury in Manchester last September.

He scored a points win over Takam in Auckland in 2016.

But in an interview with the Sunday Telegraph, he declared: “My sole mission is to smash to bits the man with the glass chin."

In the official press release announcing the fight, Parker’s promoter, David Higgins added: ““New Zealand might be a tiny country on the other side of the world but it has a hugely proud sporting tradition – and a particularly strong tradition when it comes to whipping mother England.

“Joseph Parker is the absolute epitome of the Kiwi sporting battler. It has been said that he is punching above his weight, but he didn’t become WBO heavyweight champion by being lucky.

“He’s never been stopped, never even been wobbled in the ring. He’s consistently fought fighters in the world’s top 10 and he’s beaten them all easily. It certainly won’t be a shock to me when he beats Anthony Joshua and takes his titles back home to New Zealand.”

Joshua versus Parker will be shown live on SkySports Box Office

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