Boxing: Joseph Parker punching harder thanks to surgery

Joseph Parker believes he is punching harder than any time in the last two years thanks to surgery on his elbows.

The Parker camp has confirmed the unbeaten Kiwi heavyweight underwent an operation in November to alleviate a restriction in his elbow movement which was causing pain.

The secret operation was revealed by The New Zealand Herald last night.

The Parker camp believes the 26-year-old will show the benefits in next week's unification fight against Briton Anthony Joshua in Cardiff.

Trainer Kevin Barry says the result of the surgery has been "nothing less than fantastic" with his charge back to the punching speed and power of 2016, a year which concluded with victory over American Andy Ruiz Jr to claim the vacant WBO belt.

Parker's orthopaedic surgeon Craig Ball says the procedure is a common one.

What was unusual with Parker, Dr Ball said, was the apparent speed with which he recovered.

"I think by losing that impingement pain that he would have, that will almost certainly give him a little bit more speed and probably power with his punch too," Dr Ball said.

"Because he's not having that pain limiting him every time he's trying to throw something".

-NZN

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