Heavyweight Joseph Parker has vowed to stop the Joe Joyce “hype train” in its tracks when they meet on Saturday.
The 30-year-old New Zealander is the underdog despite being a former world champion and says he is confident of a quick victory against the Briton, 37.
The pair will fight in Manchester for the WBO interim heavyweight title, with the winner in prime position to challenge champion Oleksandr Usyk.
“I see a lump, a big man,” Parker said at a media conference on Thursday.
“A man that’s confident, a man’s that ready, but a man who is going to be stopped in his tracks. Hype train.”
Joyce, who is unbeaten in his professional career and has 13 knockouts in 14 fights, did not respond to Parker’s taunts.
“This big lump is going to be coming at you on Saturday night,” he said.
Parker’s trainer Andy Lee explained why he expected an easy night for his fighter.
“Any fight can be an easy fight,” he said. “Joseph knows how to make this an easy fight, I know what he has to do.
“Parker is leagues apart. Joyce has a big engine, is strong, punches hard himself. We know what we’re up against. This is elite. Joe’s reaching new levels every time.
“Forget what you saw from Parker before, you’ve only seen glimpses.”
Parker, who trains with WBC champion Tyson Fury, lost his WBO world title to Anthony Joshua in their unification fight in 2018.
The Kiwi lost his next bout to another British fighter, Dillian Whyte, but then went on a six-fight winning streak.
Source: BBC