Boxing: Dillian Whyte - I'll send Joseph Parker 'to sleep'

Dillian Whyte and Joseph Parker face off. Photo / Getty

Dillian Whyte is promising to send Joseph Parker "to sleep" should the Kiwi-Samoan heavyweight come to properly fight in London next month, an attitude already confirmed by his opponent, who says he is ready for war.

The expected fireworks inside the O2 Arena ring are what makes this fight on July 28 so compelling – that and the risks both men are taking and the fact the bout was made so quickly and discretely.

Whyte proved his heavy-hitting credentials when knocking Lucas Browne cold at the same venue a week before Joseph Parker went 12 rounds against Anthony Joshua in Cardiff on April 1. But Parker, who has never been dropped as an amateur or professional, is several levels above Browne, who turned up in poor physical condition and paid the price for it when walking on to a vicious left hook.

That was the punch that rocked Joshua in 2015 before Whyte was stopped by the now three-belt world champion and that weapon and the 30-year-old's renowned body punching power is what will likely be at the forefront of Parker's mind during his seven-week training camp.

Realistically, Whyte's big chance for a win is by stoppage, whereas Parker could conceivably win through his superior movement, but neither man is likely to be afraid of indulging in a crowd-pleasing brawl.

"I can knock any one of these guys out," Whyte said of his stopping power in both hands. "If he comes to run you never know, but if he comes to fight he goes to sleep."

Parker's trainer Kevin Barry has quickly had to find video footage of Whyte along with new sparring partners after assuming that either American Bryant Jennings or Russian Alexander Ustinov would be Parker's next opponent.

"I've had to do a little bit of a re-shuffle here, but the opportunity was too great for us not to be in on it," Barry told the Herald. "We like Dillian Whyte's style, we like the fight. These guys match up so well.

"We looked long and hard at the Bryant Jennings fight and we were nearly there but the deal kept changing. In the space of three days, David [Higgins] was able to secure a great deal and a pay per view date in the UK. This is a terrific piece of business. Obviously there's a bit of pressure on us with a seven-week camp in front of us with Joe jetlagged after his travel."

Parker's physical condition should help. He was overweight before the Joshua fight and the start of his 11-week camp was about getting him into the right condition. Not so now, thanks to a more disciplined training and eating plan.

"If Joe was coming back to me like he came back… before his last camp… we all know he was overweight, he'd just finished holidaying and weighed 120kg. Joe's weighing 110kg at the moment. That was a big factor in us being able to accept this fight."

Whyte is tough – as he proved when going 12 brawling rounds Dereck Chisora in 2016.

"His strength is under-rated – he's quite a strong guy," Barry said. "I don't think his skill level is as good as Joe's. I know his hand speed isn't as good."

Barry said he had studied the Whyte-Browne fight, but added: "There's no comparison between Lucas Browne and Joseph Parker – they're different animals."

For Parker it is a step away from possible redemption against Joshua. Whyte's promoter Eddie Hearn is going to lobby the WBO to make the fight a mandatory eliminator. If he's successful then Parker's next fight could be against Joshua and possibly at Wembley Stadium.

"I know he's excited that he can go into a big fight like this and turn it around in one fight," Barry said. "The winner of this fight is going to be in a fantastic position."