Dillian Whyte. Photo / Getty
Sometimes antagonistic, sometimes respectful, and sometimes downright funny, Dillian Whyte's face-to-face interview with Joseph Parker has given another insight into what we might expect next week in the build-up to the pair's heavyweight clash in London.
In the interview released by Sky Sports UK before the fight next Sunday morning NZT, Whyte has called Parker a "coward" for the New Zealander's performance in losing his WBO world title belt to Anthony Joshua, an insult delivered casually but with intent like a jab from a fist inside a velvet glove.
The Englishman's logic is that Parker didn't fight with enough courage against Joshua in Cardiff last April, and that his foe was just happy to go 12 rounds against an opponent who had won all his previous professional fights by stoppage, including the one against Whyte.
Parker, 26, wore that one well and conceded he probably didn't give enough of himself in what was a tactical boxing display from both men interrupted by referee Giuseppe Quartarone whenever a fight threatened to break out. The respected Ring boxing magazine later described the Italian as being out of his depth, a not unpopular opinion.
Throughout, the 30-year-old Whyte wore the relaxed expression of a man completely at ease with himself and the world.
"I don't need to get under his skin," Whyte said before attempting to do just that. "He's a warrior, he'll come to fight, why do I need to get under his skin?
Asked by moderator Johnny Nelson a former world cruiserweight champion where Whyte thought Parker would go if he loses, Whyte said: "He goes back to New Zealand and lives a nice life. He drinks that, what do you drink?
"Kava? Is that what you're talking about?" asks Parker.
"He drinks that, he has a nice life, he goes on his speedboat, he goes fishing.
"Listen," Whyte, who has just the Joshua loss on his 24-fight pro record, continued. "He's young, he's a good fighter. Two losses don't affect his career."
Whyte, who won his last fight at the O2 Arena – the venue for Whyte v Parker - by knocking out Australian Lucas Browne with a devastating left hook, is well known to be what his countrymen would describe as a wind-up merchant. He has regularly commented on Parker's Instagram posts, borrowing Samoan phrases by saying, for example, "nice one uso [brother]", a trend which Parker has told the Herald he finds funny rather than offensive.
Asked if he was surprised that the fight was agreed by both parties so quickly, Whyte replied: "No I'm not surprised by that. He just stank the place out [against Joshua] and he wants to come in with some air freshener."
Whyte said Parker had never had to dig deep over a 25-fight professional career in which he has lost just once and never been rocked much less put down; possibly not knowing that his opponent has suffered a burst eardrum in a fight, plus a bad cut over an eye from a headbutt, and that he had to finish strongly against both Carlos Takam and Andy Ruiz (for the WBO world title) in order to get the points victories.
Parker, who hasn't won by stoppage since 2016, said he would prefer a knockout victory, to which Whyte said: "Now we're talking the same lingo. If he runs, I beat him up, if he comes to fight, I put him to sleep.
Parker said: "Of course he has power, but can he catch me?"
The most meaningful moment was probably when Whyte, who moved with his family to south London from his native Jamaica reflected on what he wanted to achieve in his career.
"I want to inspire kids who have no future," he said. "I never had a future. I was just a thug growing up with an underprivileged background. I'm one of 12 and I never wanted to ask my mum for anything because I wanted my mum to give to the other ones. I did what I had to do. I hustled. I want kids to know that if you work hard enough you can achieve what I have."
For fight details in NZ go to: https://fanpass.co.nz/ppv/whyte-v-parker
https://www.sky.co.nz/parker-fight-competition