Joseph Parker has decided to turn down Tyson Fury's offer to spar in the build-up to his unification bout with Anthony Joshua in March, saying the former heavyweight champion isn't the right fit for his training.
Fury was quick to reach out to Parker after the March 31 fight was announced, sending an offer to the Kiwi fighter via Twitter.
"I've got a show on the night your boxing in England but if you want I'll come spar you when your in UK training for the fight, it will help both me and you," he said.
"You won't find better sparring than me, I promise you."
However, Parker told RadioLIVE yesterday the exact reason his camp weren't interested in the offer is because they can find exactly that.
"Tyson Fury's a great guy, but with all due respect to him, I don't think it's the right person to spar because he moves around well for a big guy and he doesn't come forward, and he's a lot taller," Parker said.
The two unbeaten champions will face off in Cardiff on April 1. (Source: Other)
"So I think Kev [Kevin Barry] and our team have done some research and we found guys that we think that doesn't have everything Joshua has, but each of them have bits that we can see or help us prepare for what he brings.
"We want guys to come forward and we can just smash them, and for them to throw everything at us - the kitchen sink - and just try and knock us out. But with Fury, as the fighter he is, he's a smart fighter who doesn't stand there, who doesn't absorb a lot of punches and likes to move."
Parker will defend his WBO belt against Joshua on April 1 NZT at Principality Stadium in Cardiff, Wales.
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