CLEVELAND, Ohio — Undefeated heavyweight champions Anthony Joshua (IBF/IBO/WBA) and Joseph Parker (WBO) will settle their differences in the ring on March 31 on SHOWTIME.
Despite all of the hype associated with this fight, the focus of attention is on a future bout between Joshua and WBC champion Deontay Wilder.
Parker (24-0, 18 KOs) is a formidable foe, but a battle between Joshua (20-0, 20 KOs) and Wilder (40-0, 39 KOs) is a demand for the best fighting the best. And no matter how much the fighting public wants this fight, Joshua’s focus is on his upcoming opponent.
“I’m not the one overlooking Joseph Parker, and I’m not the one, you know, hooting and hollering about what’s happening next,” said Joshua to the media during Wednesday’s conference call. “I’m really focused on Parker because, as you know, if I don’t get past Parker it slows down the train and derails everything we’re trying to achieve, in terms of becoming undisputed heavyweight champion of the world.”
Joshua said he has not spoken much about a fight with Wilder because he will let his management team handle that conversation.
“We reached out to Deontay Wilder’s team before the fight with Joseph Parker was made, and once that fight didn’t happen and the fight with Joseph Parker was made, I put Wilder aside and focused totally on that,” Joshua said to the media.
During the same conference call, Joshua’s manager Eddie Hearn said he is not concerned about his fighter’s focus against Parker.
“He’s probably the most focused, single-minded, driven individual you could meet,” said Hearn during the conference call. “And he knows the challenge in front of him is Joseph Parker. He knows the risks against Joseph Parker.”
And if Joshua looks past Parker, one of the most anticipated heavyweight title matches in decades goes down the drain.
That suits Parker just fine.
“A lot of people want to see that fight, but they can’t really see that fight because we’re in the way,” said Parker on the conference call. “And it doesn’t really upset us. It gives us motivation in training, and we know what our focus is. Our focus is Anthony Joshua. Our focus is March 31. And we’re focused on keeping healthy, keeping strong and putting on the best performance of our lives on March 31.”
