Boxing: Joseph Parker hits new career heaviest weight for WBO interim title shot against Joe Joyce

Kiwi Joseph Parker has weighed in at a new career-heaviest mark for Sunday's WBO interim heavyweight title fight against Brit Joe Joyce in Manchester.

Parker, 30, tipped the scales at 115.84kg at the pre-fight weigh-in on Saturday (NZ time), heavier than the 114kg from his previous mark against Derek Chisora at the end of 2021.

The victor of Sunday's bout will be in line for a mandatory shot at WBO title holder Oleksandr Usyk, although the fight contract does contain a rematch clause for Joyce to exercise in the event of a defeat.

Joe Joyce and Joseph Parker.
Joe Joyce and Joseph Parker. Photo credit: Image - BT Sport

"That's where I wanted to be, coming in a bit heavier with more power, that's what we wanted for my weight," Parker told Sky Sports UK.

"I just said to him (Joyce) that I hope he is ready for the fight and I hope that he gets knocked out. He is a nice guy and I look forward to tomorrow's fight.

"We know what it takes tomorrow to get the win. My job is to break him down, step by step, round by round and punch by punch. 

"It would be me right up in the mix, the winner of this fight gets into that little group at the top."

Meanwhile, Joyce also weighed in at a career-heaviest mark, coming in at just over 123kg.

Standing at 6'6", Joyce also has the height and reach - 203cm to 193cm - an advantage over the Kiwi.

Joyce, 37, is unbeaten across his 14 career fights, with 13 of those coming by way of knockout.

Parker's record currently sits at 30-2, with 21 victories by knockout, and is unbeaten since July 2018.

A win on Sunday would see Parker creep closer to a second shot at the WBO belt, after holding the heavyweight title from December 2016 to March 2018.

Join Newshub for live updates of Joseph Parker v Joe Joyce from 6am Sunday.