Forget the trash talk - Joseph Parker just wants to fight Dillian Whyte.
The Kiwi and the Brit boxers are scheduled for a heavyweight title eliminator in London on July 29 at the O2 Arena.
Thirty-year-old Whyte has been busy in the media in recent days hyping the fight, throwing shade at Parker's motivation, ability and relationship with trainer Kevin Barry.
Whyte told Newshub on Sunday that he believed Kevin Barry to be a 'control freak' and a 'strange human'.
Parker, not one for trash talk, wasn't really interested in responding to Whyte's comments when he arrived in the UK on Wednesday (NZT).
The Kiwi told Sky Sports UK he just wanted to punch Whyte in the face.
"I'm here to rumble, let's get it on," Parker said. "He likes to play mind games and he is very good at talking.
"He says things to try and get in your head - he talks a lot of rubbish. I will let him say whatever it is he wants to say, because when I get him in the ring, I'm going to bash him."
Barry scoffed at the notion he controls his charge, noting that Parker is his own man, and has shown that time and time again inside the ring.
“I like to take care of all the detail, that's the sort of person I am," Barry told Sky Sports UK.
"But as far as being a control freak and doing all the talking for Joe, no.
"Joseph Parker can talk for Joseph Parker, I don't need to talk for Joe, I need to train Joe."
Barry believes the matchup is a perfect stylistic fight for Parker, given the aggressive, high-risk style Whyte likes to utilise inside the squared circle.
The 58-year-old is predicting fireworks, given the high stakes.
"The winner of this fight will be on a short line to fight Deontay Wilder or Anthony Joshua,” said Barry.
"That's why we were prepared to take this fight on seven weeks notice and that's why, I believe, Dillian Whyte's camp took the fight in short notice. " It’s a fight that at any other time they didn't want to take.
"This is an exciting fight, it's a boxing fan’s fight.
"I know Dillian Whyte has the style to bring the best out of Joseph Parker. You will see a far more physical, purposeful and motivated Joseph Parker in this fight.
"We can't wait."
Parker agreed, admitting that his lacklustre showing against Joshua in April wasn't what boxing fans in New Zealand expected to see.
This time, the 26-year-old is willing to put his body on the line in what could be a career-defining moment.
"It wasn't the performance or fight that everyone wanted.," Parker said.
"We are at the very top level, we have made a few adjustments, and we are not mucking around. We are here for a war.
"We have a great gameplan for this fight, but if I have to stand in there and mix it up with him, then I am willing to do that."
A referee for the bout is yet to be assigned by the British Boxing Board of Control (BBBOC), but Barry has continued to apply pressure on the governing body to appoint an appropriate official, given Team Parker's grievances with the handling of the unification fight in April.
Italian Giuseppe Quartarone was panned worldwide for not allowing Parker and Joshua to fight on the inside during the 12 rounds, which Barry believes cost Parker a shot at victory.
"All we want is a fair referee," Barry said. "We want one of the best referees that the BBBOC can offer.
"I think we have been pretty hard done by in our previous two fights in the UK with the referee appointments, so I would think this time they could give us a classy referee - someone who won't be an interference for the fight, someone who will let the fight go.
"There are plenty of very good British referees, so let's choose one of them."
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Join us on July 29 for live updates of the Parker vs Whyte heavyweight boxing fight.
