Graeme Barrow: Anthony Joshua has too many weapons for Joseph Parker

Anthony Joshua and Joseph Parker will face off in a heavyweight title unification bout at Principality Stadium in Wales on April 1 (NZ time). Photo / Getty Images

Joseph Parker's fight against Anthony Joshua, to be shown live on Sky on Easter Sunday morning, ticks all the right boxes, both for boxing fans and the sport of boxing itself.

Firstly, it is a clash between two unbeaten heavyweights each of whom is recognised as a world champion, Joshua by the WBA and IBF, Parker by the WBO.

Unless it is an unlikely draw, the heavyweight division will move a step closer to the high desirable state of having just one unified, internationally recognised world champion. But for that to happen the winner will have to meet the WBC champion, American Deontay Wilder.

Both fighters can punch. Joshua has stopped all of his 20 opponents, and Parker 20 of his 24. Whatever the result, and however long it lasts, this will be an exciting and competitive fight.

The atmosphere will be electric, with a world record crowd of 70,000-plus for an indoor fight, the venue being Principality Stadium in Cardiff. The good seats will be packed with former champions and celebrities of all kinds.

And, not least, this is a fight between two very likeable men. Joshua, like his predecessor champions the Klitschko brothers, is very articulate, modest, respectful, and readily admits that he is not yet the finished article.

He disdains the trash talk that unfortunately pervades boxing in America, and does not belittle opponents. In this regard the comment that Parker was the "king of pies" was not made by Joshua, as was reported here, but by television host Graham Norton.

Parker is similarly assured, polite, and modest – which makes his recent outbursts of insults about Joshua the more puzzling. Was it him talking or was he the Duco puppet?

Joseph Parker has a chance of beating Anthony Joshua but it won't be easy. Photo / Dean Purcell

And Duco's claim that Joshua only agreed to the fight because of the goading, and Parker constantly calling Joshua out, is simply nonsense.

Joshua's great ambition is to unify the world title by winning all the belts, a goal shared by all the best fighters.

He and his promoter Eddie Hearn chose Parker and his WBO belt because Parker is widely perceived to be a more beatable fighter than Deontay Wilder, an assessment with which everyone in the boxing world would agree.

Wilder is fearsome, with genuine one-punch knockout power in either hand. His record of 39 stoppages in 40 unbeaten fights is quite astonishing.

Anyway, the jibes from Parker are worth looking at because they are Joshua's weaknesses, at least as perceived by the Parker camp.

The first, that Joshua is muscle-bound, is not true.

The second, that he "gases", meaning he is short on stamina, is also a bit of optimism. Joshua was still lively in the 11th round against Carlos Takam, and he had fought with a broken nose from the second round on, and had difficulty breathing.

Anthony Joshua looms as Joseph Parker's biggest challenge to date. Photo / Getty Images

The third, that Joshua has a glass jaw, is an exaggeration, but there is a hint of vulnerability there. He was stopped by big puncher David Price in the amateurs, wobbled by Dillian White in his 15th professional fight, and floored by Wladimir Klitschko in their classic unification battle.

There is also a rumour that he was floored in sparring by Daniel Dubois, a huge puncher only recently turned professional, and who is probably Britain's next big heavyweight hope.

However, Joshua went down from a flush right hand from Klitschko, who for the last decade was the best right-hand puncher in the division. And he got up to win.

So, can Parker beat him? Most heavyweights are capable of knocking out even decent opponents, but it will take punching power we have not seen before from Parker for this to happen.

That leaves a points decision, and I suspect Parker will be very cautious for the first few rounds, hoping that Joshua will tire, so he can come on strong in the later rounds.

This was how he squeaked a win over Andy Ruiz to win the WBO title, but the pudgy Ruiz faded because he was demonstrably overweight. However, Parker has faster hands than Joshua, and this strategy would seem his best option.

But to me Joshua has too many weapons. He is the harder puncher, and at least as good a boxer. He throws punches in combinations, which are difficult to combat. He also sets things up with a punishing left jab.

I think Joshua can win on points on the back of his jab, and is also capable of winning by KO. Parker's camp claims he has an iron chin, and this is probably true. He has never been on the floor as either an amateur or pro, and has not been staggered in any of his pro fights. However, he has never fought a puncher like Joshua.

But whatever happens Parker is there to win, and believes he can win. He will give his all and make his supporters and countrymen proud, win or lose.

- Graeme Barrow is a former editor of the Northern Advocate