WBO heavyweight champion Joseph Parker has secured some gold medal help for his upcoming unification title fight against WBA, IBF, IBO heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua.
The two fighters are set to square off in front of a massive crowd at the Principally Stadium in Cardiff on March 31, live on Showtime and Sky Sports Box Office.
"A motivated, focused and purposeful Joseph Parker will shock the boxing word," - Kevin Barry.
Parker is currently preparing in Las Vegas ahead of the fight and his camp has called in undefeated heavyweight prospect Tony Yoka, who is superstar in France, as a sparring partner.
Yoka, 25 years old, won gold at the 2016 Rio Olympics in the super heavyweight division, where he beat Joe Joyce in the final bout.
Yoka is an inch taller than Joshua at 201cm and has an identical 208cm reach. He is 3-0 as a pro.
"Yes, in two or three weeks to prepare him for his championship [fight] against Joshua," Yoka told Sky Sports when asked about sparring with Parker.
"Actually my teammate in the gym, Marlo Moore, went to Joshua's training camp in Sheffield. I'm going to the other side."
What makes this choice intriguing is the fact Yoka beat Parker in the 2010 Youth Olympic Games gold medal fight.
Last month, former undisputed heavyweight world champion Tyson Fury offered to be Parker's sparring partner but the New Zealander's camp turned down the offer.
"Tyson Fury's a great guy, but with all due respect to him, I don't think it's the right person to spar because he moves around well for a big guy and he doesn't come forward, and he's a lot taller," Parker told RadioLIVE.
"We want guys to come forward and we can just smash them, and for them to throw everything at us - the kitchen sink - and just try and knock us out. But with Fury, as the fighter he is, he's a smart fighter who doesn't stand there, who doesn't absorb a lot of punches and likes to move."
