Joseph Parker and Andy Ruiz camps trade verbal jabs

Abel Sanchez, Bruce Trampler of Top Rank and Kevin Barry (Photosport image)
Abel Sanchez, Bruce Trampler of Top Rank and Kevin Barry (Photosport image)

The mind games between the Parker and the Ruiz camps look likely to continue up until the opening bell as the trainers came together in Auckland on Wednesday.

Parker's trainer Kevin Barry presented Ruiz's trainer Abel Sanchez with a gift at the press conference in Auckland today, and said he hoped that it was the only thing he left New Zealand with.

Sanchez arrived in Russia on Wednesday morning and Barry wasn't afraid to say that he would do things differently if Ruiz was his fighter.

"If that decision [of when the trainer arrived] was mine, and I was making it on behalf of Joseph, I'd bring him down two weeks beforehand," said Barry.

The 57-year-old said that the personal touch was backed by results.

"It certainly helps for Joseph.

"We've shown over the last 4 years and we've backed it up with a lot of results so for me it works."

Sanchez trained his 17th fighter to a world championship over the weekend and wasn't afraid to respond to Barry's verbal jabs.

"[Getting a mental skills coach] is not something I would've expected Kevin to allow him to do," Sanchez said.

The veteran trainer was also left in no doubt that the time he would spend with Ruiz was enough to get him over the line on Saturday.

"We'll do the best with the time we have."

"I still think that's enough time to beat Joseph Parker."

Newshub.