The equation is simple for Joseph Parker’s return to the ring in Manchester this weekend. Win, win well, or the case to sell another rebuild will be increasingly difficult.
Parker has been here before, following successive losses to Anthony Joshua and Dillian Whyte in 2018. He stitched together six victoriesthereafter, his second over Derek Chisora the most notable, before confronting the granite chinned, heavy-hitting Joe Joyce last September.
While Parker makes no excuses for his first knockout loss against Joyce his trainer, Andy Lee, has since revealed the 31-year-old wasn’t well leading into that fight which partly explains his lack of stamina from the second round on and bloated weight — Parker tipped the scales the heaviest of his career.
“It was a tough fight, the last one,” Parker said. “Physically I had nothing but mentally I was fully there. I wasn’t on my game. He showed why he got to the top.
“On the day Joyce was the better man and we had to accept it. I really want to fight him again. A lot of people don’t want to fight him but I do.
“We want to come back and show something more than we did in that last fight. I picked myself back up straight away. I was looking at fighting in December but they weren’t able to lock in an opponent.”
No matter the circumstances Parker now sits at a familiar career crossroads. His tumble from WBO No 2-ranked contender to eighth reflects his dented status among the elite heavyweights, and the graft required to climb back into contention.
In a pointer to his calculated return at this point, too, Parker’s comeback against Brit Jack Massey — the former IBO cruiserweight champion who takes a significant leap in weight and class — comes on the Liam Smith-Chris Eubank Jr undercard and will be screened free-to-air in New Zealand for the first time in his career.
Joseph Parker squares off with Jack Massey ahead of their fight in Manchester this weekend. Photo / Photosport
As his future prospects tread a tightrope with UK promoters Boxxer and Sky, Parker grasps the importance of delivering a knockout finish against the unfancied Massey — a notion in itself that adds pressure to perhaps chase the big shot when the Kiwi often looks his best utilising hand speed and combinations.
“It really comes down to how I look and perform. I know they’d like to sign me and have a lot more fights but it comes down to performance. If you’re winning everything is good. If you’re losing it’s hard to watch. I want to stop at three losses if I can.
“Getting a win is important but people want to see exciting fights. That’s being dominant, putting on pressure, landing big shots and finishing off your opponent.
“We were looking at other heavyweights for example Robert Helenius, Gerald Washington, Dave Allen — any other heavyweight that was available and willing to fight — but it took so long to lock someone in. Jack Massey was begging Boxxer and Sky for a big fight. He sees this as an opportunity to try and make a statement in the heavyweight division.
“He’s tough, he’s game, he’s got balls. He’s going to come with a lot of confidence. His only loss was to Richard Riakporhe on points. He’s done good in the cruiserweight division. He wants to make a statement in front of his home crowd. Can he still maintain his hand speed coming up to the heavyweight division?
“Cruiserweights like Oleksandr Usyk and Evander Holyfield made it as heavyweights but that doesn’t mean he can do it.”
Despite copping several heavy blows Parker insists the Joyce defeat left no lingering physical or mental scars. He appears in prime condition for Massey following a six-week camp at Tyson Fury’s Morecambe base that involved training through the festive season on the other side of the world from his family.
“There’s big sacrifices going into camp over Christmas and New Year but you’ve got to do that. You’ve got to step outside your comfort zone even if you’re missing celebrations with family and friends.
“My wife pushed me to come back and fight. She said: ‘You’re only given a limited time for your career and you’ve got to make the most of it. Boxing isn’t going to last forever. God willing, we can have a lot more Christmases together’. She’s looking after four girls at home so without her I couldn’t be here.”
Whyte, Joshua and American Michael Hunter, who publicly claimed Parker ducked him for this card, loom as enticing future fights provided he delivers on the desire to emphatically stop Massey on Sunday morning.
“I want to take care of business against Jack and then lock in as many fights as possible this year. I know when I’m active and busy with training camps I’m constantly improving but when I have these long layoffs, even though I’m keeping in shape, nothing compares to fighting. The dream is four fights this year but even three would be great.”
