Boxing: Fury will be too smart for Parker, promoter

Colourful English boxing promoter Frank Warren claims his fighter, Hughie Fury, will be too smart for Kiwi WBO world champion Joseph Parker, when they meet at Auckland's Vector Arena on May 6.

Warren, who has worked a variety of boxing luminaries over his 35-year Hall of Fame career - including Frank Bruno, Mike Tyson and Prince Naseem Ahmed - is confident Fury is now over a bad case of acne that has hampered his progress to date.

"Listen, [Parker] is a good fighter, don't get me wrong," Warren said. "He's a very good fighter, but like all fighters, there are flaws.

"We all know what fighters do well, it's what he doesn't do well. That's where Hughie's so smart. He's got a fantastic boxing brain. He's a thinking fighter and he's had the best preparation of any young fighter I can think of for a number of years."

Warren considers the sparring he has provided cousin and former champion Tyson Fury will also have assisted Hughie in his bid for a world crown.

"He's never been on the floor as an amateur or a pro, he won the junior world heavyweight championships, so he's the real deal and he's matured in his professional career."

Fury has also, apparently, suffered from blood poisoning as a result of serious acne, but is now over that and in top physical shape.

"All his wins have come while he had a debilitating illness," Warren said. "That's all gone now - he's had treatment, that's all cleared up and he's such a different guy now.

"You see him at ringside, he's solid. He hasn't got an ounce [of body fat] on him. He could fight tomorrow."

Warren also insists Team Fury won't be distracted by having to base themselves in Auckland for their preparation, although father and trainer Peter Fury's criminal record had threatened to derail his involvement. After two stints in prison for drug-related offences, Peter Fury was initially refused entry into New Zealand, but was granted a reprieve by associate immigration minister David Bennett last month.

"They're travellers," Warren said. "Travellers travel, don't they? They're travelling to New Zealand, that don't bother them. That's what travelling people do."