Boxing: Joseph Parker out for revenge against top contenders after impressive knockout win

Joseph Parker punches Faiga Opelu during their heavyweight bout at Margaret Court Arena in Melbourne. Photo / Photosport

Joseph Parker has put his rivals on notice as he seeks revenge on his way back among the heavyweight division’s elite.

Last night’s emphatic first-round knockout of Samoan-Australian Faiga ‘Django’ Opelu was the statement Parker needed to make, but his name-drop of potential opponents set out his intentions for the time being.

“I want Dillian Whyte, [Anthony] Joshua and Joe Joyce again. I want to avenge those losses,” the Aucklander said during last night’s post-fight press conference.

“I know on a good day, it could’ve been a different performance with those guys, but I know I need to climb my way back and keep fighting, keep winning.”

Parker believes he’s found the “right formula”, with the introduction of top nutritionist and strength and conditioning coach George Lockhart to his team.

“I put it down to everything, the whole camp and everything balancing up - the boxing, the strength and conditioning, the food and the rest.

“I had great sleep this whole camp, seven to eight hours of sleep every night... beautiful!”

His gameplan against “Django” was simple - to impose his will right from the get-go.

“Be dominant, be the big man and every punch, make it worth it, so I did my best and that’s what we got,” Parker said.

Joseph Parker beat Faiga Opelu via a first-round knockout. Photo / Photosport

With two fights under his belt in 2023, Parker hopes to take to the ring on at least two more occasions.

His manager David Higgins is hoping to lock in a bout in a couple of months.

“We found No Limit brilliant to work with - no complaints. Australia’s been great and as Joseph said, he wants to remain busy, so my instructions are to go find another fight for, say, July,” Higgins said.

“If that’s with No Limit, I think we’d be very happy to fight in Australia again.”

No Limit Boxing CEO George Rose would welcome Parker back with open arms.

“I think the performance that he put on made me love him even more. He’s a hell of a fighter and he looked so strong, I was really impressed,” Rose said.

“Anytime he wants to fight here in Australia or anytime he wants to fight anywhere, we’ll always have his back and always support him 100 per cent.”

It was a successful night for Kiwi fighters, with cruiserweight David Nyika extending his unbeaten record to 6-0 with a fourth-round stoppage of his Australian foe Louis Marsters.