Patrick McKendry: Joseph Parker's quest to knock out Derek Chisora is far from child's play

Joseph Parker has been wary of building expectations of a knockout against Derek Chisora. Photo / Getty

OPINION:

Musical chairs.

Anyone tuning into the first official media event ahead of Sunday morning's heavyweight rematch between Joseph Parker and Derek Chisora in Manchester may have had the slightly surreal experience of watching as the Englishman organised the traditional kids' game, which, to give it another bizarre twist, involved former All Black Sonny Bill Williams.

None of the four individuals, including Williams, in town to support his countryman, and English boxing commentator Darren Barker, knew what to expect when their presence in the ring was demanded by Chisora, an occasional force of nature who has traded overturning press conference tables and spitting in the face of his opponents in the build up to fights for something a little more wholesome.

But there they were and around they went. Barker was out first and then Williams. It was genuinely funny and more evidence perhaps that Chisora, 37, and nearing the end of his career, has – to get with the times - mutated into a far more benign variant of his former self; one, however, who still poses a significant risk to Parker's career.

Parker needs any sort of win to maintain his rankings – he's as high as No 3 with the WBO and a potential match-up with No 2 Joe Joyce to earn a mandatory challenge against champion Oleksandr Usyk may be tantalisingly close. A stoppage win for Parker, injury free, well-conditioned and now fully in tune with new trainer Andy Lee, would give him the added bonus of making him appear relevant in the eyes of the fans. That equals pay-per-view buys and more income.

But while there is excitement within Parker's camp that he has developed under Lee in Tyson Fury's gym, Parker himself has been wary about building expectations of a knockout and that's as it should be because his most spectacular finishes have come when he has entered the ring with a plan and stuck with it.

Once Parker won the WBO heavyweight world title with an excellent technical performance against Andy Ruiz Jr in Auckland five years ago, he has struggled to stop his opponents, although he was close in a defeat against Dillian Whyte, a points loss that will go down as one of Parker's most exciting fights. In rallying to drop Whyte in the final round after being dropped twice himself in earlier rounds, it will also rank as one of Parker's most courageous efforts.

He is levels above Chisora, and had him literally on the ropes and in trouble near the end of their first fight but couldn't or wouldn't finish him. Parker had an arm injury but also an unconscious fear that he would punch himself out in the process of going for the knockout – a hangover of his previous training regime under Kevin Barry which Parker has said often left him tired in fights.

Parker didn't hurt Junior Fa a year ago much less stop him, and this was a fight against a fierce Kiwi rival he was determined to look good against for pride as much as anything.

But Parker failed to stay with his strengths in that fight. The 29-year-old possesses two of the fastest fists in the division and can punch in combinations like few heavyweights. Instead, he loaded up and went for power, a tactic that can be more easily avoided.

Parker is, of course, aware that his sport is all about entertainment. It's something his opponent is certainly aware of as we've seen. And potentially adding to the expectation of a spectacular performance is that there have been some brilliant recent boxing contests in his division and in others.

His friend Fury's trilogy victory over Deontay Wilder enhanced the reputation of both men and their third bout ranks as one of the best heavyweight fights ever. Superstar middleweight Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez looked sensational in stopping Caleb Plant last month, and Australian lightweight George Kambosos shocked the world in an explosive performance and victory over Teofimo Lopez recently to become world champion.

Parker and his team may get the knockout they are seeking. But in order for that to happen he must stick to the strategy formulated by himself and Lee, and display his development rather than revert to type when put under pressure.

Because, as Mike Tyson used to say, everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face, another observation, as if we needed it, that this sport is anything but child's play.