Speed over power will be key, if Joseph Parker is to overcome Dillian Whyte in London on Sunday (NZ time).
The two combatants are set for a heavyweight showdown at the O2 Arena in a fight that has title implications for the winner.
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Kiwi UFC star Dan 'The Hangman' Hooker believes Parker holds a significant speed advantage over his British opponent and he will need to capitalise on that for victory.
"Dillian [Whyte] will try to hide his power and wait for the right opportunity to unleash," Hooker told Newshub.
"What Joseph will try to do is draw that power out, make Whyte swing and make Whyte miss.Speed will be the key. "If something is not working, Joseph is very fast and he has very good footwork, so he will be able to keep him on the inside, change his positions, change angles and set Dillian up for his bigger punches."
Parker has been labelled a ”coward” by Whyte in the buildup to the fight, claiming the New Zealander coasted in his unanimous-decision loss to Anthony Joshua in April.
Whyte told Newshub earlier this month that he had never witnessed a fighter so content with losing and questioned Parker's warrior spirit.
Hooker said it was important Parker stuck to his gameplan and not get drawn into a fire-fight as a response to Whyte's criticism.
"Joseph has all the tools to do really well against Dillian Whyte," Hooker told Newshub.
"He has beautiful straight punches and he has a great jab, a very educated straight jab.
"To shut down a pressure fighter, your jab will the most useful weapon.
"Joseph is also very good in the clinch - he will be able to smother Dillian and work him over on the inside.
"He will try to use that footwork, use that jab with nice straight punches, but if Dillian does manage to get inside or there is too much pressure, he can just switch the gameplan, tie him up and work on the inside range."
Newshub.
