Boxing: Joseph Parker's former coach - 'I give him a good show of winning'

Joseph Parker trains ahead of his heavyweight title fight against Anthony Joshua. Photosport

Joseph Parker's amateur coach Grant Arkle, in Cardiff to see another young New Zealand-Samoan boxer make the most of an opportunity of a lifetime on Sunday, gives his former charge every chance of causing a monumental upset against Anthony Joshua.

Arkle, who trained Parker from when he was aged 10 until 19, is here overlooking the final preparations of Mose Auimatagi Jr, a 22-year-old super middleweight who will fight Welshman Morgan Jones on the undercard.

And Arkle said Parker's character meant he would likely make the most of his chance at unifying the world heavyweight titles.

"Joseph can handle the big situations – he's always been like that," Arkle told the Herald before watching Auimatagi Jr at the undercard press conference held at the stately Cardiff City Hall.

"He won't be fazed by the big crowds or big arena or even the crowd that will be against him, because there will be a lot of booing and yelling and screaming.

"He's progressed faster than what I thought. I didn't think he'd be in this situation for another couple of years, but here he is - here's his chance. I know he'll grab it with both hands and do it. I give him a good show of winning - not only because I used to have him.

"He's proved in the past that he can rise to the occasion. I had him on three or four occasions where he was the underdog big-time and he came through and won. I think he can do it again.

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"He was always quick, a very smart guy," Arkle said of the now 26-year-old Parker. "It wasn't until 2010 when we went to the youth Olympics in Singapore that he realised how good he was. I used to tell him he had the talent and could go a long way but he was quite casual about it.

"Once we went to Singapore and won a silver medal there, he said 'I know what you mean, I think I can go a long way and I'm getting more enthused about it'. Well, here we are."

Asked if he had ever seen Parker hurt, Arkle said: "No, he never got hurt and never got hit, which worried me because I always wanted to work on his defence and keep his chin down.

"When he went pro his chin was a mile high and his hands were low. They've improved that but because he was so fast he never needed to work on his defence and probably thought I was talking a load of rubbish at the time. But when you get to his level of boxing you've got to put it all together.

"He's got a great chin, Joseph, but you don't want to be giving opportunities away to a guy like Joshua – he hits like a train and he's fast. He's a lot faster than I thought he was."

Auimatagi Jr, 22, has a 9-1-2 professional record and is a surprising favourite against the undefeated Jones.

He said he knew Parker well – they used to train together as amateurs – and he was predicting good things at the Principality Stadium for the WBO world champion.

"I reckon he stops him in round 11," Auimatagi Jr said. "I had a dream. Joshua is lying on the canvas in round 11."

The storeman, with a fiancé and child on the way, has to fit boxing around his fulltime job. He said: "I'm nervous, excited – a whole mix of emotions. I'm really blessed to be here. I know all the fighters back at home in New Zealand would kill for the chance I have right now. I'm going to use the opportunity that me and my coach have to make my country proud."