Anthony Joshua slams Joseph Parker and his team over shock tactics to land March fight
ANTHONY JOSHUA has slammed Joseph Parker and his team for their shock methods in landing the unification battle.
The heavyweight pair collide March 31 for AJ's WBA and IBF belts and the Kiwi's WBO strap.
Parker's team went to great lengths to get the fight made, including hosting a bizarre press conference to unveil a video listing Joshua's alleged KOs and failings.
Joshua returns to the Principality Stadium in Cardiff - where he beat Carlos Takam last time out - and hit back at the stunt, explaining those alleged failings are fake news.
Joshua said: "I don't know how to take Parker and and his camp and what he has said. I roll with the punches.
"People speak about me getting dropped. I use it as a PR stunt.
"The three times I have been dropped or hurt was the European championships, I was stopped.
"I had hardly trained, I was banned from Team GB for being in trouble, so I had not trained and I was stopped.
'WALK WITH ME' Joseph Parker asks Tyson Fury to walk him out for Cardiff fight as Gypsy King backs Kiwi to win
"The second was David Price I was in a police cell the morning of the training, that's no excuse, Price is a puncher.
"And then Klitschko. It taught me that it will take more than a human to stop me.
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"The rumours you have are fake news."
AJ was sparked into his loud defence after Parker's promoter David Higgins said: "There has been talk in the build-up up so I want to clarify.
"I have a huge amount of respect for Anthony Joshua.
"In most countries in the world you analyse strength and weaknesses and what shocked us is that you don't do that.
"We showed chinks in his armour and videos going around of him being dropped.
"People were shocked when we did. It was not personal. It was fact."
Meanwhile, Parker had his say on his methods, claiming: "I met him once in Azerbaijan. I have watched him coming through and he's a good fighter with a lot of support.
"I think this is my time and destiny. I truly feel I am going to win. I feel I have better speed and movement. I did not show in my last few fights.
"We are a team. I back my promoter and what he has said.
"This is an exciting time to be a heavyweight. I flew here with nothing signed but now it's all sorted.
"This I'll be the hardest camp because I have a big challenge.
"I have watched him for a long time, I know his strengths and weaknesses. And he thinks he knows mine. I can't wait to knock him out."
Parker also told the Daily Mail he hopes to have Tyson Fury walk him out for the fight in March.
The Kiwi said: "I might give [Fury] a text and say: 'Bro, do you want to walk in with me?'
"He may just walk in with me or he may just sit in the front and watch the fight.
"But I know I have a lot of support from Tyson which is pretty awesome."
Meanwhile, Fury himself has backed Parker to beat Joshua, thanks to his "fast hands" and "hard hits".
The Gypsy King revealed: "If I'm honest I fancy Parker, and that's being gospel.
"He's young and ambitious, he's got fast hands, he hits hard and he fights excellent against opponents who stand still and don't move.
"Another thing is I've never met a Maori that ain't tough – they're all tough as teak."