By Terence Dooley

Former WBC heavyweight titlist Frank Bruno has urged IBF, WBA World and IBO title-holder Anthony Joshua (20-0, 20 KOs) not to lose his cool when he meets WBO incumbent Joseph Parker (24-0, 18 early) at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff live on Sky Sports Box Office on March 31.

Bruno won his world title after weathering a late rally by Oliver McCall at Wembley Stadium in September 1995 only to lose the belt in his first defence, a third-round stoppage loss to Mike Tyson in March of the following year.

And the popular former fighter has urged Joshua to use his physical gifts against his New Zealand-based opponent in order to ensure that he adds a fourth belt to his world title haul.

“Anthony Joshua has got the size, the power, and the skill, and Parker is a guy who comes to him all the time,” Bruno said when speaking to Sky Sports. 

“If Joshua moves around and uses his reach and his power, he should make it make it easier for himself.  Joshua has a lot of skill, a lot of size, a lot of power.  If he just relaxes and uses Parker to come in, it is as simple as that.  If he is going to get macho and start wanting to tear up with him, then Parker is a very dangerous guy, very fit—he is on you all the time.”

Parker is no stranger to winning on these shores after out-pointing Hughie Fury in September of last year. 

Like Joshua, the 26-year-old is chasing a fight against WBC champion Deontay Wilder, who overcame Luis Ortiz by a 10th-round RSF in New York earlier this month; Bruno, though, has warned Joshua not to make the mistake of looking beyond Parker. 

“I think just take one step at a time because Parker is not a mug,” he said. 

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