Joseph Parker is staying calm in the hope it brings him victory Saturday during his Day of Reckoning bout against Deontay Wilder in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
The 31-year-old Parker is jovial and credits his large entourage with keeping his mood right. Despite having lost three big fights in his career, Parker carried himself as though his fight with Wilder would define his career.
Dancing, smiling and joking, Parker looked far from a man fighting this weekend. “Just as I said before, remaining calm,” said Parker at the open workout. “Remaining calm and relaxed. I’ve got the team here.”
“I think it is important to have my brother here, [my] cousins, and I got people that I need here. They keeping me relaxed and calm. I am winning poker every day, I am winning [at] table tennis, and what can I say I want to win, win, win!”
With Andy Lee holding mitts for him at the media workout, Parker’s punches looked sharp. As sharp as the part in his hair from his fresh haircut. Parker parted ways with his longtime trainer Kevin Barry in 2021. He started to work with Andy Lee and spar with Tyson Fury. Parker spoke to the bond of his current situation.
“Even though we are in sync now we are still working on things, and he is still showing me things that I am still taking in. It takes awhile to perfect it, but we are in sync, and everything is on track.”
Lee, who made a cameo on the DAZN telecast was brief with his words. Lee has been a personality on the DAZN commentating team in past fights. So it appeared that the hosts enjoyed making Lee have to come from behind the shadows. Lee used his words like his trademark left hook. Only as needed.
“He is better than he has ever been,” said Andy Lee. "He is on the way up, definitely on the ascension “
