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Joseph Parker warns Daniel Dubois not to overlook him in world title bout

Joseph Parker warns Daniel Dubois not to overlook him in world title bout

Joseph Parker has warned Daniel Dubois not to look past him in their heavyweight world title bout.

The New Zealand fighter takes on Dubois for the IBF belt later this month and has suggested that his opponent will pay a heavy price if he is distracted by the prospect of a unification rematch against Oleksandr Usyk that awaits should he win.

Parker told Sky Sports News: "They're looking at other fights in the future but they have to get through this one first. I have trained the house down. If he is distracted, so be it and it'll show on fight night.

"I believe that all these things in boxing that happen are just part of boxing. I know not just him but his team as well are smart enough to know that it's a challenging fight that they have in front of them. The pure focus for them, I'm sure, is the fight in front of him now."

Parker previously suggested that he is capable of making Dubois quit in the fight - as his opponent did during his 2020 defeat to Joe Joyce.

The former world champion said: "I do stand by that, however he has shown the ability to go through hard times in the recent fights he's had. But if times do get hard can he still maintain that ability or does he revert back to type?

"I'm looking forward to seeing what he's going to bring but I know what I bring. I'm going to bring speed, power, accuracy and movement and I'm very confident in what I can do in the ring."

Parker enters the fight on the back of impressive victories against Zhilei Zhang and Deontay Wilder and is determined to seize his opportunity to become a two-time world champion.

The fighter said: "With Zhang and Wilder, they're good fighters but Dubois throws way more punches. He comes forward with a lot more pressure and he throws punches in bunches. I'm prepared for that version of what he's going to bring.

"I do believe I'm a better boxer. But he has shown grit, he has shown toughness. He does the basics very well. But I do believe [in] my boxing IQ, my toughness as well, I've got a good chin.

"I've been waiting for this opportunity, been waiting for this chance and been waiting for a big fight. So this is my time now to go out there and show everyone what I've been doing while I've been waiting for a fight and it's my chance to be two-time world champion."

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