Wednesday 25 July 2018 11:46, UK
Joseph Parker wants to send out a defiant message by stopping Dillian Whyte even quicker than Anthony Joshua.
The 26-year-old's unbeaten record and WBO belt were taken away by Joshua in a points defeat in March, but Parker has returned for Saturday's heavyweight fight with Whyte at The O2, live on Sky Sports Box Office.
Whyte also suffered his sole defeat to Joshua, a seventh round knockout loss in 2015, and Parker intends to outshine the unified world champion by producing a more ruthless win over the Brixton fighter.
I think if I knock him out earlier, it will send a statement.
"That's my goal now," Parker told Sky Sports. "What's AJ, seven right? I'm going to knock him out earlier and I'm going to say, 'And what AJ? And what?'
"I think if I knock him out earlier, it will send a statement."
Promoter David Higgins says Parker can stake his claim for a Wembley rematch against Joshua, but the New Zealander insists victory would not lead to a heated confrontation, if Joshua is watching from ringside.
"I think just let your performance speak itself," said Parker.
"There's no point walking over and going, 'Hey,' you just look like a desperate guy. Just let it pan out."
Parker says Whyte should have no hard feelings after his exciting shootout with Joshua, who was wobbled in the second round, but he blamed himself for a lack of aggression after trailing on the scorecards at Cardiff.
"I watched that [Joshua-Whyte] fight," he said. "They threw a lot more punches and landed a lot more on each other. A bit more reckless, whereas that one [his fight] was more scientific.
"I think he tried his best and I think he went for it, so no regrets.
"The training he's been doing looks like its improved his fitness a lot, so maybe he's found the right type of training that works for him. Maybe back then he didn't have the right type of training.
"There's a big difference in what he is now and what he was before."
Watch Dillian Whyte vs Joseph Parker with Katie Taylor, Dereck Chisora, Joshua Buatsi, Conor Benn and more the undercard, live on Sky Sports Box Office, from The O2, Saturday, July 28.
You can book via your Sky remote, via sky.com/boxofficeonline here and even if you aren't a Sky subscriber you can book and watch it via skysports.com/boxofficelive.
