Joseph Parker vs Deontay Wilder: New Zealand boxer believes American is underestimating him

Deontay Wilder could be at risk of overlooking and underestimating Joseph Parker. And the Kiwi heavyweight, on the eve of his biggest fight in five years, believes he’s never been better placed to seize those vulnerabilities and upset future plotlines by seeking a potential knockout blow.

Former champions Wilder and Anthony Joshua have, according to reports from ESPN, reached a long-awaited and highly lucrative agreement to clash on March 9. That deal is, however, conditional on Wilder getting past Parker and Joshua safely navigating Swedish southpaw Otto Wallin on the same stacked Day of Reckoning card in Saudi Arabia this weekend. Both those outcomes are far from guaranteed.

Boxing history is littered with fight plans that did not eventuate, and there’s a growing sense Wilder is looking beyond Parker.

“It gives me more fire to go out there because they’re already making plans and underestimating the opponents they have in front of them – myself and Otto Wallin,” Parker said. “My goal is to upset all those plans and then come home and celebrate a nice Christmas with the family.

“Otto Wallin isn’t an easy fight. And with Wilder being inactive I’ve come off a good, busy year.”

Ring rust is one aspect Parker hopes to exploit against Wilder. The American has fought one round – his knockout win over Robert Helenius – since the second of his twin defeats to Tyson Fury in 2021, while Parker has banked three wins against low-ranked opponents.

If ever there was a time to challenge the 38-year-old Wilder, it is now.

The other avenue Parker, who as the Herald revealed will earn close to $10 million for this fight, has been unpacking is Fury’s insights after his successful trilogy with Wilder.

Parker split his training camp between Dublin and Fury’s British base in Morecambe. There the close friends sparred together for a week which offered Parker nuggets of gold that could prove invaluable for attempting to avoid Wilder’s notorious righthand that has delivered knockouts in 42 of his 46 fights.

Parker is well aware he doesn’t possess Fury’s imposing physical attributes that allowed him to bully Wilder in their second and third fights but that intelligence has shaped his plans.

“Tyson has all the knowledge. I’ve been zoning into the advice I can get from him.

“He was able to make time to help with a few rounds and show a few things. It’s very important. He’s always backing me, encouraging me. He said, ‘This is your time’.

“I’m not six foot nine [206cm] with the weight behind me. Him and Wilder, with the height they have they can close the distance very quickly. I have to use the strengths I have and use the advice he’s given me.”

Parker will seek to embrace his speed, movement and combinations against Wilder while attempting to maintain defensive concentration throughout to avoid suffering a one-punch finish.

While one of the most dangerous modern-day punchers, Wilder’s explosive, often reckless, approach leaves him vulnerable. When the opportunity presents to let his hands go, Parker expressed renewed confidence he, too, can do the damage.

“I want to knock him out. I know everyone says he’s got the knockout punch but I’d love to knock him out. A lot of my fights I haven’t been able to knock my opponents out. Is it conditioning or overtraining? Whatever it is I haven’t been able to. There is no reason I can’t knock him out now.”

After a frustrating three-year period without delivering a knockout, Parker floored his past two opponents, Faiga Opelu and Simon Kean, the latter with a spectacular uppercut, earlier this year.

“It’s not the same level of opposition but it’s good to keep busy and practise your moves, technique, skill and constantly improve.”

Those improvements come after integrating George Lockhart’s nutritional and strength and conditioning nous into Parker’s team alongside Irish trainer Andy Lee.

“I’ve found what I needed. Wilder, even though he’s got that one big punch, he can box. I’m going to be in the best shape and I’m going into this fight with supreme confidence. Now it’s about executing the plan.”

Back on the big stage for the first time since holding the WBO title five years ago, Parker is doing everything within his power, including arriving in Saudi two weeks before and staying awake until 4am to ensure his body clock aligns with a late fight time, to grasp this defining chance.

“This is the biggest fight since Andy Ruiz and Anthony Joshua. This is the fight I need and want. As soon as they suggested Deontay Wilder I said yes straight away. I want to show the level that I’m at.

“I am going to show my growth in this fight. I know what I can do, it’s now about putting it together.

“Everything in my life is perfect. There’s been a lot of ups and downs leading to this point but I’m in a great place and I’m looking forward to putting on the best performance of my life.

“There’s a lot of things to be excited about; the fight, get a good win, fly home and spend Christmas season with my family, another baby on the way and then more big fights next year once I take care of business here.”

Liam Napier has been a sports journalist since 2010, and his work has taken him to World Cups in rugby, netball and cricket, boxing world title fights and Commonwealth Games.