Watch: Joseph Parker trains ahead of boxing world title fight with Anthony Joshua

Joseph Parker trains ahead of his world title fight with Anthony Joshua. Photo / Duco

Kiwi heavyweight Joseph Parker has taken part in his first big training session since arriving in London for next month's world heavyweight title fight against Anthony Joshua in Cardiff.

Parker did 16 rounds of various sparring techniques today after some light sessions since arriving in the weekend. His trainer Kevin Barry said the plan was to get the blood flowing after arriving in the weekend.

"Today's our first workout and what I needed to do today was to get the blood flowing, get a good sweat up. Joe's drunk a lot of water in the last couple of days so I want to get some of that water weight off him.

"We're looking to do our normal four rounds of shadow. I'll probably hold pads with him for six rounds, we'll go over the same punch combinations that we've been working on for the last two months, I will probably get him to do between four and six on the heavy bag, a couple of rounds of rope so I'm looking to do probably 16 rounds of boxing training today.

Parker said yesterday: "I'm young, fast, strong, my movement is good. I have a great team behind me, I have a nation behind me – two nations – and I'm going to represent, so that's what I have."

Meanwhile Italian Giuseppe Quartarone has been confirmed as the referee for the world heavyweight unification fight.

The Cardiff bout on April 1 will be his second world heavyweight title fight. He oversaw Alexander Povetkin's WBA title victory over Cedric Boswell in 2011.

The three judges for the fight will be from New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States.

"We're very happy with the officials that have been appointed," Barry told Sky Sports.

"We've got an Italian referee. We signed off on those officials [at the beginning of March]. We're very happy with what the various sanctioning bodies have appointed for us."