Parker vs Joshua: Eddie Hearn believes WBO champion will be 'chin-checked' by Brit

  • 18/02/2018

Joseph Parker's chin is going to be in for a huge test when he squares off against Anthony Joshua, according to promoter Eddie Hearn.

While much of the lead-up to their unification fight has been centred on the Brit's 'glass jaw', it's the Kiwi's chin that should cause for some concern, in Hearn's opinion.

Before an agreement was even reached, much of the hype surrounding a potential fight was about Joshua supposedly being susceptible to being knocked down - led by Parker's controversial promoter, David Higgins.

They released a video montage of Joshua being dropped in training to bring about the fight, and ultimately succeeded as the two are now set to square off in front a massive crowd at Cardiff's Principally Stadium on April 1 (NZ time).

Speaking to Andrew Gourdie and Jim Kayes on RadioLIVE's Sunday Sport, Hearn hit back at the claims and suggests Parker is the one who will hit the canvas.

"Joseph Parker's never fought a puncher and he's never boxed at the level of Anthony Joshua," he says.

"We don't know whether Joseph Parker has a good chin at the level he's been boxing at or he has a great chin.

Listen to the full interview on RadioLIVE's Sunday Sport from 2pm.
Listen to the full interview on RadioLIVE's Sunday Sport from 2pm.

"Anthony Joshua has one-punch knockout power, he's 20 win, 20 KOs, you don't do that without immense power, but he also puts his punches together in combinations, so when he has Joseph Parker stunned or hurt, there will be five, six, eight, 10, 12 shots from him at electric speed.

"You can't compare Cojanu, Ruiz, Takam power to Anthony Joshua's power; you certainly can't compare their speed so I think he's going to get a big, big shock when he gets hit on the chin by Anthony Joshua."

Hearn also casts doubt on whether or not Parker can fight through adversity, should he be in a situation where he hits the deck.

While much has been made of Joshua's 'glass jaw', the promoter was quick to point out his fighter's resolve in their title-bout victory over veteran Wladimir Klitschko.

"He went down in the Wladimir Klitschko fight to a right hand that would of poleaxed virtually every heavyweight in the world, and he got up and he got up on steady feet and he came back in that fight," Hearn said.

"When you go down and you're on unsteady legs and your tank's empty, and it's hurting like mad, are you going to get up time and time again? We know Anthony will, because he's done it and he's proved it, but will Joseph Parker?

"I believe he's a proud man, he's a warrior, but we've never seen it, have we? This is boxing, when the going gets tough and you're getting hit on the chin by 18-stone man that feels like a sledgehammer, how much do you want it?

"He's going to have to come through some horrific moments in this fight if he's going to be victorious."

Newshub.

Listen to the full interview with Andrew Gourdie and Jim Kayes on RadioLIVE's Sunday Sport from 2pm