Boxing: Steep Vegas fitness plan hones Kiwi

Joseph Parker. Photo / APN

Steps and slopes was the catchcry of Joseph Parker's recent training camp in Las Vegas.

As he eyes his July 5 bout with American Brian Minto in South Auckland, Parker's trainer Kevin Barry wanted to shed some weight from the 22-year-old heavyweight to ensure he will be able to move around the ring with extra speed.

Parker tipped the scales at 108kg when he beat Brazilian Marcelo Luiz Nascimento in Germany in April but is expected to weigh around 102kg when he meets the 1.80m Minto who is ranked 12th by the WBO.

His seven-week camp in Las Vegas saw Parker drop the weights and head to a park in Las Vegas where he pulled on his running shoes.

"Steps and slopes," Barry said. "One is the four-foot wide concrete steps that go up on a grade of about 35 degrees, then we have a solid concrete slope that's at 45 degrees and it's about 35m and he would do that 25 to 30 times [per session], so it's a very good workout."

Parker's camp ahead of his last bout included more than 100 rounds of sparring and given the intensity associated with running steps regularly, Barry pulled back on the cardio to ensure Parker wasn't tired for sparring, which added to his weight.

But they've reversed that thinking this time around to ensure Parker is more explosive in Manukau.

Standing 1.92m, the 8-0 Parker, who holds the PABA interim heavyweight title, has a notable height and reach advantage over Minto but controlling that distance and exploiting his physical advantages will be crucial to his ability to win the fight.

Minto (39-7) has only been defeated three times via knockout and Parker must show improved maturity to stick to the path to success laid down by Barry.

"It's really important that he fights a smart fight," Barry said. "We know that Minto's a very experienced guy. He's very durable and we got to have a really good look at him up close last December in his dismantling of Shane Cameron. So Joseph's well aware of what Minto brings to this fight."

Parker returned to New Zealand yesterday morning and was at the gym within two hours of landing.