Don't expect Joseph Parker to shy away from heavy exchanges against British slugger Dillian Whyte in their must-win fight this weekend.
That's the opinion of his trainer Kevin Barry, who admits the Kiwi boxer Parker should have shown more aggression in the latter stages of his unanimous-decision loss to Anthony Joshua in April.
In the build-up to Sunday's heavyweight showdown between the pair, Whyte has accused Parker of being a "coward" against Joshua, mocking the 26-year-old for "enjoying" his loss against Joshua.
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He claimed Parker appeared a little too content with losing last time out in Cardiff.
Barry has acknowledged the faults in Parker's performance earlier this year, but he expects fireworks this time around.
"Joe knows that, in the second half of that fight, he should have thrown more punches," Barry told Newshub. "There were some really good things to come out of the Joshua fight.
"His defence was great, his head, hand and foot movement was excellent, but his offence - that explosive combination punching that got him all the way to a world title - wasn't there in that fight.
"This fight I am sure we will see a more aggressive Joseph Parker. He will let his hands go with Dillian Whyte."
Barry believes that losing to Joshua may have unleashed a mean streak in the Auckland native.
The former WBO champion has been flooring sparring partners and even Barry admits to feeling the brunt of Parker's built-up aggression.
"He is very mean on his coach, but I love that. He has got a lot more physical in this camp - he has been killing me with body shots.
"When you have your first-ever career loss, there is a fire there. There is a fire burning in his belly, he has a lot to prove in the fight.
"He wants, more than anything else, the opportunity to get that title back."
The road back to a heavyweight title appeared a long one just over a month ago, when Parker's name was being linked to the likes of veteran American journeyman Bryant Jennings.
But thanks to the slick negotiating skills of Duco boss David Higgins, the opportunity to fight Whyte came out of nowhere and the bout was booked.
With Whyte holding the mandatory title slot in the WBC, as well as top-four rankings in the WBO and IBF, Parker can leapfrog right back into the title mix with a win over the trash-talking Brit.
"We could have given Joe two or three tune-up fights before we got him ready for another run at the title, but when they offered us Dillian Whyte, Joe jumped at it. He saw this as his redemption fight.
"Our redemption can come very, very quickly, if Joe puts it all together and gets the job done on Saturday night [UK time]."
Whyte has been very vocal in the media during the weeks leading up to the fight.
From his coward remark to labelling Barry a "control freak", 'The Body Snatcher' has done his best impersonation of UFC star Conor McGregor.
Barry has been amused by Whyte's comments, but for the most part, neither he nor Parker have responded to the verbal pressure.
Barry told Newshub that Team Parker would do their talking on fight night.
"Half the things Dillian says, I don't think he actually believes," Barry said.
"This is a pay-per-view event and we are in the business of boxing. We love the statements coming out of Dillian Whyte's mouth.
"He is great for the promotion of the fight. Some fighters really need to talk themselves up during fight week to fire themselves up to get in the ring - Joe is not one of those guys.
"The fighting for us is not outside the ring, it's inside the ring."
Newshub.
