Wednesday 17 January 2018 13:42, UK
Anthony Joshua will aim to weigh-in lighter than his last three fights before facing Joseph Parker, according to his coach Rob McCracken.
Joshua was at his career-heaviest in each of his fights in 2017, measuring 17st 12lbs against Wladimir Klitschko then 18st 2lbs against Carlos Takam.
In the second defence of his IBF title against Eric Molina in December 2016, Joshua weighed in at 17st 11lbs.
"Ideal world, AJ would like to come in around 17st 9lbs or 17st 10lbs," McCracken said about the world heavyweight unification fight on March 31 against Parker.
We'll work out an optimum weight for him. But at the moment my feeling, and his feeling, is 17st 9lbs or 17st 10lbs.
"[Joshua] is a huge man - very tall, very big, there's no body fat on him. We'll take the training camps as it comes. We'll see how he feels doing the sparring, doing the longer rounds, and we'll work out an optimum weight for him. But at the moment my feeling, and his feeling, is 17st 9lbs or 17st 10lbs."
WBO champion Parker is two inches shorter than Joshua and weighed half-a-stone lighter at their most recent weigh-ins, but could shed even more mass according to his trainer Kevin Barry.
"We'll come in lighter for this fight," Barry previously told Sky Sports about Parker, who was 17st 7lbs before his most recent win against Hughie Fury.
McCracken added: "Parker is a big heavyweight. AJ is very tall but Parker is big, he's solid. If you put Parker in the sport 30 years ago he would have been a giant. He's a big man, strong, and has a good boxing brain. He's somebody who needs to be respected, and Josh will do that."
Watch the Anthony Joshua vs Joseph Parker world heavyweight title unification fight, from Principality Stadium, Cardiff, on March 31, live and exclusive on Sky Sports Box Office.
