By Tim Royner: Joseph Parker (24-0, 18 KOs) thinks he might need to be super human like Superman or Batman for him to unseat IBF, WBA heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua (20-0, 20 KOs) for their fight on March 31. Joshua recently said that for him to be beaten, it’s going to take a fighter that is ”more than a human” to do the job on him.
Parker thinks that Joshua is showing signs of insecurity with the way he’s trying to defend himself from the criticism that he and his promoter David Higgins has been giving him. Parker says Joshua does not handle being critiqued about his flaws too well. Instead of listening to the criticism and working on improving his flaws, Joshua fires back.
Joshua looked very mortal in his fight with Wladimir Klitschko last year in April. There was nothing super human about that performance by Joshua. Point blank, Joshua should have lost that fight if Wladimir had showed an ounce of courage when he had him hurt and gassed out in the 6th round. Against any other top heavyweight, Joshua would have been beaten. The best heavyweights don’t lack for courage. Wladimir has been fighting timidly for years since he was knocked out by Lamon Brewster, Corrie Sanders and Ross Puritty.
“I don’t know how to take that,” said Parker to skysports.com. “I might have to be ‘Superman’ or ‘Batman’ or something. I don’t know? Have to be more than human? I don’t know what more you can be? He was rattled with what David was saying. For him to defend himself, shows that he didn’t like what was coming his way. I don’t think he really takes criticism that well.”
Parker has a good chance of beating Joshua if he’s got it in him to make him fight hard, and hit him on the chin. What doesn’t work against Joshua is to fight at a slow pace, and to retreat to the ropes. Joshua loves to bombard his opponents when they fight with their back against the ropes. It’s suicide for fighters to cover up on the ropes against Joshua because he then unloads on them with a flurry. Even if the fighter isn’t hurt, the referee will step in and stop the fight. Joshua does well in those instances, and he’s at his best when the pace is slow for him like in the Carlos Takam and Eric Molina fights. Both of those guys weren’t busy enough to tire Joshua out.
Parker has the engine to fight hard and to tire Joshua. Parker also has the chin to take Joshua’s best shots. Parker is going to need to be braver than he showed in his recent fights against Razvan Cojanu, Andy Ruiz Jr. and Takam. Parker wasn’t ruthless enough in those fights to knock those guys out. If Parker fights like that against Joshua, he’ll lose a 12 round decision. I don’t think Joshua will knock him out, but he’ll definitely outpoint him. Joshua is beatable, but Parker might lack the courage to get him tired enough to defeat him.