Joseph Parker. Photo / www.photosport.nz
Alexander Flores is promising to stop Joseph Parker in their fight in a fortnight, saying the New Zealander is a flawed boxer who has stamina issues.
Flores, a Mexican-American, made the bold statements in front of the media at Parker's gym in Las Vegas before the Kiwi former world champion arrived for his own time with the press.
Not surprisingly, Flores' comments weren't taken too seriously by Parker but it gives an insight into the mindset of the man who will be entering enemy territory in Christchurch on December 15.
"I'm fighting on his home territory so it can't be close but the fight definitely won't go the 10 rounds, I can promise you that," Flores said. "I'm knocking out Joseph Parker on December 15.
"He's either not going to come off the stool or he's not going to get up… I guarantee you that.
"I see a lot of flaws. I can tell you one thing for sure – he does get tired… the fight with Dillian Whyte – how are you a world champion but get sloppy and tired like that?
"He should be looking fresh from the first round to the last round. I just hope he's been getting up and doing his running."
Parker began his fight against Whyte in London aggressively before a head clash in round two which floored him changed the momentum of the bout and left him trying to recover.
Flores was probably referring to the middle rounds when Parker didn't look himself and spoke later about feeling in a "dream state" due to the concussion injury he suffered.
But he finished the fight on top and knocked Whyte down in the final seconds. The judges awarded the decision unanimously to Whyte.
Parker has gone the distance in his last five fights, while Flores, who has fought 18 times as a professional with one loss, has never gone past eight rounds. That suggests it will be Flores who will the one having his stamina tested. Parker, a former WBO heavyweight champion, is known to have two of the quickest hands in the division and his movement could trouble his less experienced opponent.
"It shows his confidence and that he backs himself," Parker said of Flores' comments. "But there are levels to this and he hasn't had the same opposition as me. I feel if there's going to be an early stoppage it will be him gone.
"I've been 12 rounds many times now so I think he should do his homework. He's never been beyond 10 rounds. I feel my stamina is good. I can go the distance or make it a short fight if I catch him clean."
Parker was far more understated that Flores. It appears that after his losses to Anthony Joshua, to whom he lost his WBO world title, and Whyte, that he would prefer to do his talking in the ring. He made no reference to wanting to stop Flores early, but that is want he will be aiming to do.
And given he will want to dominate early with a new, more ruthless, attitude, it wouldn't surprise to see Flores counted out before the fight is beyond the halfway stage.
Flores, the knuckles on his left hand raised and caloused, has been sparring with Andy Ruiz Jr, a former opponent of Parker's, and Dominic Breazeale and Charles Martin, and added: "I think they're underestimating me… I feel that Parker didn't want the fight, I think his promoter made him. I think they're looking past me to another Whyte fight. He's talking about a knockout but it's not going to happen."
Patrick McKendry travelled to Las Vegas with assistance from Flooring Xtra, a major sponsor of the Joseph Parker v Alexander Flores fight at Christchurch's Horncastle Arena on December 15.