Boxing: Anthony Joshua on Joseph Parker: 'If he wants it, he can come fight me'

Joseph Parker. Photo / Getty Images.

Rising British heavyweight Anthony Joshua has acknowledged New Zealand counterpart Joseph Parker as a similarly heavy-handed fighter whom he would like to meet in the ring one day.

Joshua, 26, a super heavyweight gold medal winner at the London Olympics, has been making waves in Britain since turning professional. He, like 24-year-old Parker, is undefeated in the pro ranks, and Joshua believes both can make significant strides in a division in a state of flux since Wladimir Klitschko's defeat by Tyson Fury.

"If he wants it he can come fight me, no problem," Joshua said of Parker. "I've known about Parker since probably 2009 because when I was coming up as an amateur he was an amateur - and remember, we're at the same level as pros.

"I used to watch him as an amateur to study who I would be fighting but he went pro early. Styles make fights. He's knocking out guys in New Zealand, I'm knocking out guys in the UK - we come together and someone's going to be knocked out; that's just two heavy-handed, fast prospects coming through the division.

"I think sooner or later in the heavyweight division the cream [will rise] top to the top. It's a bit unbalanced at the minute. We've got champions, ex-champions, David Haye wants to fight me and he should be focusing on Fury and Charles Martin. It's all a bit up and down.

"Sooner or later it will balance out so I think me and Parker and so on will be good fights at some stage so we can find out who is going to dominate the heavyweight division."

Parker's promoter Dean Lonergan recently said he would love to pit his man against Joshua, a fighter he described as a "myth".

Parker, who recently beat American Jason Bergman in Samoa, next fights in Christchurch on April 17. His opponent is yet to be announced.