Joseph Parker Taking Klitschko Lessons in The Ring With Ruiz

By Edward Chaykovsky

Like several other top heavyweights, Joseph Parker (21-0, 18KOs) learned some valuable lessons from sparring former division ruler Wladimir Klitschko, who also used current world champion Deontay Wilder and Anthony Joshua as sparring partners in recent years.

This coming Saturday night at the Vector Arena in Auckland, Parker will take part in the most dangerous fight of his pro career when he faces Andy Ruiz (29-0, 19KOs) for the vacant WBO heavyweight title. The belt was vacated a few months ago by Tyson Fury.

The fight will be a big moment for Parker, who finally will receive some American exposure with HBO picking up the fight on their airwaves.

Parker will look to succeed where his countryman Alex Leapai failed in 2014, when he was blown out by Klitschko in Germany. Parker fought on the undercard and stopped Marcelo Nascimento in seven.

"That was a great experience and one I've taken forward," Parker said to Fairfax Media. "I guess the way that I see it, Alex prepared himself the best he could physically but mentally he wasn't prepared. I guess all the pressure of the media and the attention he got, he wasn't prepared for that moment."

"Leading to here, my shot at a world title, we have done a lot of practice for this in terms of handling things mentally," Parker says of the pressures leading into fights. I'm not scared, I'm not nervous, I'm prepared for it."

Parker was used as a sparring partner by Klitschko last year, when the former champion was preparing for his defense in New York City against Bryant Jennings. His level of confidence was raised when he walked away from that experience.

"Once I felt what the champ had I felt: this could be me one day, I'm not that far off. Like, I am far off, but I could get there one day," Parker said. "I didn't really get hit much, which I'm happy about. I moved my head and kept my hands up and I didn't really feel anything too big or which worried me. That was good."