Joesph Parker

Anthony Joshua has fired back in the war of words with Joseph Parker, claiming the Kiwi star is trying to "demonise" his reputation in order to secure a heavyweight unification bout.

While negotiations for a blockbuster clash have been ongoing for several weeks, Parker's camp have launched an aggressive public campaign to lure Joshua into the ring.

Last month, they released footage of Joshua, the IBF, WBA and IBO champion, being knocked down at various stages of his career and offered any 'AJ' fan $39,000 to provide video evidence of Parker being dropped.

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.

Parker defends his title against Fury in the UK city of Manchester on September 23.

A war of words has been simmering in the buildup to a fight that has had plenty of ill-feeling to it after Fury failed to front for the original clash in Auckland in May, citing a back injury.

Parker has questioned Fury's Spartan-styled training camp and claimed he saw fear in the lanky Brit's eyes when they finally met at a promotion in Manchester in July.

Taking his belt on the road to make his British debut hasn't dissuaded the men who set the odds.

The New Zealand TAB has Parker a firm favourite in head-to-head betting, offering $1.65 for the win.

They have placed Fury at $2.15 to win in his own back yard.

It's a similar line in Britain, where Ladbrokes has Parker at $1.67 and Fury at $2.20 with the draw at $21.

William Hill sees it slightly closer, offering $1.80 for Parker and $2 for Fury with the draw at $23.

Joseph Parker's handlers will resist the temptation to have him involved in the Manny Pacquiao extravaganza in Australia in April.

Duco Events have been given the green light by Pacquiao's boss Bob Arum to nail down the finances for a late April fight for the WBO welterweight title against rising Australian Jeff Horn.

Duco promote Horn and Parker, the stars in their trans-Tasman stable.

Parker is looking to April for the first defence of his WBO heavyweight title.

Wilder has spoken previously about his appetite to fight the 25-year-old Kiwi, but it now appears he is in a hurry to get it done.

Wilder returns to action on February 25, defending his title against Poland's Andrezj Wawrzyk in Alabama. It's his first fight since breaking a hand in a successful defence against American Chris Arreola in July.

It is an alignment which Duco Events will seek regardless of whether Parker wins or loses his world heavyweight title fight against Ruiz Jr at Auckland's Vector Arena on December 10.

Barry rates Parker's oppponent American Andy Ruiz as the favourite for the December 10th fight and believes Ruiz has better hand speed than his charge.

But Parker who has just returned from a training camp in Las Vegas said he will prove Barry wrong.

"Andy does have fast hands but I believe I am faster. I'll prove Kevin wrong come fight night that I will be the faster fighter. Kevin did say that Andy was the favourite but he didn't say I was going to lose...this is my time."

This will be Parker's fifth fight of the year but he believes he is in good shape.

Parker's trainer Kevin Barry may have installed Ruiz as favorite for the December 10 bout in Auckland but Parker respectfully challenged his boss's theory that the Mexican had the faster hands backed up by more experience.

"I respect Kevin and his opinion and Andy does have fast hands but I believe I'm faster, so I'll prove Kevin wrong on fight night that I'm the faster fighter," Parker said in his first media conference since arriving home from Las Vegas to finish off his preparations.

The pair will fight for the WBO belt at Vector Arena in less than a fortnight, on December 10.

Parker's trainer Kevin Barry said the 24-year-old heavyweight's past four years as a professional - during which he has won all 21 of his fights - has served as an apprenticeship.

Ruiz has spent eight years as a professional and is unbeaten in 29 fights.

Barry said that gives the visitor a distinct advantage.