Parker v Fury fight

Fury started with the lip stuff but Parker gave back better than he got and Fury finally snapped, shoving the Kiwi back. The champion just smiled as chaos broke out around him. Fury's handlers pounced on two of Parker's team as they moved in to make sure their man was safe.

Parker had every right to label Fury "little" as he takes a 10kg weight advantage into the title fight at the Manchester Arena on Saturday (Sunday NZ Time). Parker, looking solid, weighed in at 112kg with Fury, lacking the muscle definition to match the champion, was only 102kg.

Looking sharp in a suit and tie as he sat in front of a large gathering of international media in a plush function room at the famous Old Trafford football ground, Parker kept it short and to the point, just like he wants his fight to be.

"What can I say, all the talk's been done. It's time to get in the ring and do my thing," the 25-year-old said when asked for his final thoughts on the fight.
"I feel ready, prepared ... I feel powerful.

"He wants to knock me out, I want to knock him out.

The cheers will quickly turn to jeers but Joseph Parker will thrive on the hostilities in the Manchester Arena when he fights local hero Hughie Fury.

That's the firm belief of Parker's trainer Kevin Barry as the Kiwi heavyweight's UK debut in his WBO world title defence looms ever closer.

Parker arrived in Manchester from London on Thursday (NZT) and was given a surprisingly warm welcome as he went through a public workout in a ring set up in a busy downtown restaurant zone.

But walking into the ring on fight night will be another matter.

Peter Fury and David Higgins have made their peace with the British boxing trainer saying there was nothing personal in their ugly spat.

Higgins, the promoter of WBO world heavyweight champion Joseph Parker, was thrown out of the opening press conference of fight week when he angrily confronted Fury over the lack of a neutral referee for Sunday's fight in Manchester (NZT).

Fury, the father and trainer of Parker's opponent Hughie Fury, fired off an expletive-riddled volley of abuse at Higgins as the Kiwi was escorted out of the plush London hotel by security guards.

Parker fights Fury in Manchester on Sunday morning (NZT) with controversial English referee Terry O'Connor placed in charge by the British Boxing Board of Control (BBBoC) despite protests from the Kiwi camp.

Parker's management have promised to continue to fight for a neutral appointment over the next few days and have gained a breakthrough with the WBO ordering their vice-president, American John Duggan, to replace a British appointment as fight supervisor.

Joseph Parker's attempts to get a neutral referee for his WBO world heavyweight title defence against Hughie Fury have failed with British officials standing by their local appointment.

Parker backers Duco Events have angrily protested the choice of British referee Terry O'Connor to be the man in the middle in Manchester in September 24, with O'Connor having officiated Fury's last two fights.