Joseph Parker eager to improve on Derek Chisora showing, confident that best is yet to come

As skilled and expert as former WBO heavyweight titleholder Joseph Parker is, he not often makes life simple for himself.

The affable New Zealander grinded out a troublesome majority determination win over Andy Ruiz to win the vacant title in December 2016. He scraped previous British challenger Hughie Fury in his second protection. Following a brace of determination losses to Anthony Joshua and Dillian Whyte, in 2018, Parker regrouped to attain three stoppages, however a factors win over outdated beginner foe Junior Fa was deemed too shut for consolation.

After which got here Derek Chisora – who was by no means going to be simple. Parker, who’s rated No. 4 by The Ring at heavyweight, was dropped within the opening seconds and put beneath heavy strain earlier than clawing his approach again into the competition and incomes himself a 12-round cut up determination victory in Manchester, England on Could 1.

“To be sincere, I haven’t watched it again,” Parker informed The Ring. “I felt like I did sufficient to get the win, however whenever you watch a battle again and you would have accomplished higher, you kind of cringe. I haven’t had the energy to look at it, however I’ll sit down and watch it with (coach) Andy [Lee] sooner or later.

“[Chisora] is one robust man. He’s been within the recreation for a very long time, and for him to catch me with a superb shot to start with, put strain on me, and provides it all the things he has… he simply likes to battle. I truthfully have loads of respect for him, we obtained alongside properly, and he confirmed me loads of respect too. With some fights he’ll say this and that, however with this battle, there wasn’t any [bad blood].”

Parker (29-2, 21 knockouts) is presently spending time in Eire with Lee, who’s a former WBO middleweight titleholder in addition to a extremely competent coach. He has accomplished some mild exercises, however an damage to his proper elbow, sustained within the Chisora battle, has dominated out any severe coaching. Assured in therapeutic up rapidly, the 29-year-old boxer-puncher hopes to be again out once more in the summertime.

“My supervisor, David Higgins, has been in discussions with Eddie Hearn and Frank Smith at Matchroom,” revealed Parker. “There are a couple of choices on the market and I’m simply leaving it as much as them to safe the very best deal and make the very best transfer.

“I wish to get into place to battle for a world title. The Chisora rematch is a chance; I don’t know what Dillian Whyte is doing, there’s no discussions there; the IBF wish to placed on a battle with Filip Hrgovic, as a result of Michael Hunter pulled out of a battle in opposition to him. However there’s nothing concrete at this level.”

Whereas Parker was disenchanted together with his total efficiency in opposition to Chisora, he believes the very best is but to return. The previous titleholder spent simply six weeks with Lee, who changed long-time coach Kevin Barry following the Fa encounter.

“I confirmed some small snippets of what we labored on,” mentioned Parker. “It takes time to regulate from one coach to the following and execute [different] drills. The way in which Andy sees it’s there’s nonetheless loads of work to do, and I imagine that if we battle Chisora once more, and we’ve extra time, there will certainly be extra enhancements.”

It nonetheless received’t be simple, however Parker by no means complains when the going will get robust.

Tom Grey is Affiliate Editor for Ring Journal. Observe him on Twitter: @Tom_Gray_Boxing