Sports
Anthony Joshua faces Joseph Parker in March
The long-awaited unification clash between undefeated world heavyweight champion, Anthony Joshua, and New Zealand’s Joseph Parker has finally been scheduled to hold in Cardiff on March 31.
Nigerian-born Joshua, who holds the World Boxing Association (WBA) and International Boxing Federation (IBF) belts will fight Parker who is the World Boxing Organization (WBO) champion.
Principality stadium – where Joshua successfully defended his titles against Carlos Takam in October – will host the bout and the 28-year old says he hopes to take another step towards becoming the undisputed world heavyweight champion.
“I like to fight. It’s like one step closer to adding a strap to my legacy. It’s my main objective, and it’s showing I’m never shy of a competition,” said Joshua.
“He’s (Parker) a respectable competitor, he is the WBO heavyweight champion of the world, so it’s like one step closer to adding a strap to my legacy.
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“That’s what makes it exciting.”
26-year-old Parker who is also undefeated, vowed to rip away Joshua’s two world titles by racking up his 25th straight victory.
“Anthony Joshua is in for a huge shock,” Parker boasted.
“A couple of months ago I heard him say ‘why should I be worried about this little kid from New Zealand’?
“Well, now he’s about to find out. The world is about to find out whether AJ can really take a punch. My entire existence is now devoted to proving what the boxing world already knows.”
Whoever wins in March is certain to then face undefeated American Deontay Wilder, who holds the fourth belt in the heavyweight division.
No boxer has held all four heavyweight belts simultaneously.
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