The phony war of the build-up to Joseph Parker's heavyweight title fight against Andy Ruiz Jr is over, with the New Zealander insisting today he is "going to pierce his face with my jab" when they meet at Auckland's Vector Arena tomorrow.
The respect between the pair which has characterisedthe build-up remains, but now the fighting talk has started. And it's in keeping with what's at stake - an opportunity of a lifetime to claim the vacant WBO title.
Parker weighed in at 111.9kg, the heaviest he has appeared before a fight. That's the combination of an increased weights routine under his new strength and conditioning coach and Parker said he was hitting harder than ever.
Mexican Ruiz Jr tipped the scales at 116kg, slightly heavier than his goal weight of 114kg. He appears slightly flabby, which he admitted afterwards, but he has lost a significant amount of weight - about 16kg, in training for this fight.
The weigh-in, held in front of a big gathering at a downtown bar, belonged to crowd favourite Parker. He flexed his muscles while on the scales and his height and size advantage looks significant.
Asked by the Herald how he would make that count from the first bell, he said: "I'm going to punish him from the outside, I'm going to pierce his face with my jab, that's what I'm going to do from the outside."
His 112kg was "muscle, pure muscle", he said.
Ruiz Jr told the Herald of his weight: "I'm really happy with that. We thought we were going to be 114kg, but we've been eating right and I've been taking care of myself. I'm going to come out strong."
Asked about how Parker's power ranked alongside that of his previous 29 professional opponents, Ruiz Jr said: "Everyone who is 200-plus [pounds] has a lot of power. It's a matter of when they hit you and where they hit you, that's what counts. I'm pretty sure he hits hard and I know I hit hard."
Main Event: Joseph Parker (Auckland, NZ) 111.9kg v Andy Ruiz Jr (Mexico) 116kg Main undercard fight: Jeff Horn (Aust) 66.5kg v Ali Funeka (South Africa) 66.4kg Julian Aristule (Argentina) 54.8kg v Isaac Dogboe (Ghana) 54.8kg Laura Griffa (Argentina) 55kg v Shannon O'Connell (Aust) 55kg Pablo Magrini (Argentina) 95.5kg v Junior Fa (Auckland, NZ) 122.5kg Ash McConnville (Christchurch, NZ) 82.3kg v John Parker (Auckland, NZ) 86kg Che Barlow 105.6kg v Dave 'Brown Buttabean' Letele (Auckland, NZ) 127.5kg
