Eddie Hearn, promoter of IBF, IBO, WBA heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua (20-0, 20 KOs), is not convinced that WBO champion Joseph Parker (24-0, 18 KOs) will be able to deal with a massive pro-Joshua on fight night.
A deal is nearly complete for Joshua and Parker to fight each other, potentially on March 31 from Principality in Cardiff, Wales.
The last time Joshua fought in Wales, back in October, 78,000 fans packed Principality to watch the British superstar secure a tenth round stoppage win over IBF mandatory challenger Carlos Takam.
Joshua also drew a record crowd of 90,000 for last April's career-defining stoppage victory over Wladimir Klitschko at Wembley in London. In the contest, Joshua got off the floor in the sixth round to rally down the stretch for an eleventh round TKO of Klitschko.
Hearn is fully confident that Joshua, based on his recent fights, can handle the pressure of performing under pressure before a massive crowd.
But Hearn won't know if Parker can do the same until the night of the fight.
"Can Parker deal with the pressure? That's only something we will find out on the night. He will never have or never will experience anything like this. Only the special fighters are capable of experiencing it and rising above it and actually performing," Hearn told Stuff.
"I don't think Parker will crumble but will he lose his head? Quite possibly. If he doesn't and he can execute his game plan, then he may be a very special talent. I think Parker is a lot better fighter than he has looked in his last couple of fights, everybody in boxing knows that. But can he execute that performance under this sort of pressure? That's what everybody's asking, because we know AJ can."
In Parker's last fight, he traveled over to hostile soil to make a mandatory defense. He came over to Manchester, to win a twelve round decision over undefeated local favorite Hughie Fury.