Former British champion Michael Sprott has watched both guys closely and has given his opinion and prediction in an exclusive interview with WBN.
Joshua v Parker is just weeks away and the hype is starting to build as an undisputed champion edges closer to reality with three of the four belts on the line.
Sprott has seen both guys grow into their current status, and when asked about the fight he reminisced on their rise to the top.
“Right, I’ll tell you now, when they were both in their early careers, Joshua is doing really well and I saw this Joseph Parker and I thought ‘jeez, he looks good, he’s explosive and he’s training so much harder than Joshua.’ – At that time Parker would have beaten Joshua.
“But when Parker beat Takam, I changed my views and I think Joshua beats Parker. I think it could go to points, to be honest, but I see Joshua winning.
“Parker has taken some big shots in the past but he’s taken them well so it could be a late stoppage or points.”
Believing the power and muscle which ‘AJ’ carries is a big factor in this fight, he predicts Joshua has the advantage.
“I don’t want to say points because I know Joshua is a bad banger man. Parker could get tired but he might also step up the gears a bit more, but he’s not as muscle-bound as Joshua.
“Joshua carries a lot of muscle and it can really wear you down. So saying that, it could also be a late stoppage, maybe points or a late stoppage then,” added Sprott.
Chandler Waller is a staff writer for World Boxing News. Follow Chandler on Twitter @ChandlerWaller
