Anthony Joshua fight

Introduced to the stage by a combined Samoan and Maori cultural performance, Parker tipped the scales at 107.3kg in front of a crowd of around 4000 fight fans.

The weight represented a loss of nearly 5kg from his last title defence against Englishman Hughie Fury in September.

Joshua's weight had been a significant talking point in the build-up and, as expected, he came in much lighter than he had been for his most recent fight.

Parker is set to face his toughest opponent yet when he fights English boxer Anthony Joshua in Cardiff, Wales on March 31 (April 1 NZT).

Barry says there'll be no excuses for losing against Joshua.

 “We think there’s never been a greater time to fight Anthony Joshua and if we don’t win this fight on March 31, it’ll be because Joe’s simply not good enough."

“We think this is the right time and the right guy at the right time.”

Parker agrees and admits 2017 wasn't the best year in boxing for him.

Parker will put his WBO strap on the line at the Principality Stadium, while Joshua's IBF and WBA belts will also be draped around the victor on March 31.

The pair will finally come together after months of negotiations between the representatives of both camps, the bout confirmed early in 2018.

Ahead of the fight Joshua said he hoped Parker would be fit enough to go the distance in their 12-round contest, and Parker has provided an update that should please the British boxer.

"Training has gone really good," he told Sky Sports News at his Las Vegas training camp.

Parker's promoter David Higgins made that clear as the boxing world digested Joshua's 10th round stoppage of Carlos Takam in Cardiff last weekend.

Higgins' one condition remains a "substantial" increase in the split of the purse previously suggested by Joshua's boss Eddie Hearn who has intimated an 80-20 cut in the big Brit's favour.

After getting past the durable Takam, Hearn and Joshua targeted WBO champion Parker, WBC champion Deontay Wilder and sidelined star Tyson Fury as the fights they would chase in 2018. And they have a February 3 slot vacant at the moment.