Parker Warns Anthony Joshua: I Look Forward To Going To War!

By Duncan Johnstone

World champion Anthony Joshua presents no fears to New Zealand heavyweight Joseph Parker, who is set to challenge the British fighter for his belt.

Parker made that clear after producing the performance of his career to earn the mandatory right to fight for the IBF title.

Parker scored a unanimous points victory over Cameroonian-French boxer Carlos Takam in the eliminator bout in South Auckland on Saturday.

Parker showed  a new side to his increasingly impressive game as he went 12 rounds trading blows with the relentless Takam, overcoming some worrying moments to finish strongly and claim the crucial win.

Now a chance to tackle the 26-year-old Joshua, who has risen from being the 2012 Olympic champion to a professional world champion, awaits Parker, who has shown grit to go with his grunt.

The Joshua showdown represents a destiny fight that has been spoken of over the past couple of years, given the rapid development of the two exciting young boxers.

It certainly doesn't worry Parker - quite the opposite: it motivates him.

"Joshua is the IBF champion of the world but when the opportunity comes, we'll take it and I feel like it is our time," an exhausted but delighted Parker said, as the reality of his win sunk in.

"I back myself against any fighter I step into the ring with. We work hard as a team to prepare myself, and I back myself 100 percent."

Parker's promoter Dean Lonergan was more forthright, sounding out a warning to the British fighter: "The Joseph Parker freight train is coming and it's going to run right over Anthony Joshua."

Parker, as is his way, was more humble. He had a personal message for Joshua: "When the fight happens, see you soon, I look forward to going to war."

And Parker certainly had plenty of respect for Takam and the many qualities the 35-year-old veteran brought to Auckland for the $1m fight.

"It was the toughest fight of my professional career. Carlos Takam came prepared, he came focused as you all saw and I had to box smartly."

That didn't always happen, providing some alarming passages for Parker and his fans as he went toe-to-toe with the aggressive Takam.

But, pleasingly, he was able to regather himself, heed the advice of his trainer Kevin Barry, and see out the crucial win that will also lift his top 10 rankings with the other global associations.

"I had to listen to what Kevin was saying - box from the outside. And when I did box from the outside, I was more comfortable. I was landing better shots and everything was flowing nicely.

"When I got into a brawl, that went out the window ... but a great victory."

Parker was surprised he wasn't able to put Takam away when he had him in serious trouble in the middle stages of the fight.

"It felt like he had a very solid head," Parker was able to smile later.

"I felt like I had him in the eighth round. I landed some good shots on the head but the only thing I forgot to do was go to the body."

Parker got hit hard too, but survived.

It was that sort of fight, featuring a massive workrate from both fighters, with the feeling that the bout could end by knockout at any moment.

Instead, they held firm and took it to the judges' cards, which fell in favour of Parker 116-112, 116-112, 115-113.

"There were stages when he caught me and I thought, 'oh, that's pretty good'. But the best parts of the fight were when I was moving around and jabbing, everything was flowing nicely," Parker said.

"When it was going like that I was feeling comfortable. But when I slipped away from that plan it went downhill. But I got the victory."

Parker said he was looking forward to resting for a couple of days and celebrating with family and friends.

"I'll get together with the boys, we'll get together as a family, have a barbecue ... a bit of taro.

"It's an awesome feeling to be able to go out there and get the victory in front of your home crowd."