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'Joe has to demolish this guy' - Kiwi heavyweight Parker's career on the line, says Kevin Barry

December 4, 2018

Joseph Parker is out to avoid three straight defeats against Alexander Flores.

It's do or die for Kiwi heavyweight Joseph Parker when he steps into the ring against Mexican-American Alexander Flores on December 15, with trainer Kevin Barry saying that his fighter needs to end his run of losses.

Having lost to both Anthony Joshua in April, and Dillian Whyte in July, Parker is facing the prospect of fading into boxing obscurity, with another loss all but likely to be the final nail in his career's coffin.

Speaking as the Parker team arrived back in New Zealand from Las Vegas this morning, Barry said that pressure is on both he and his fighter heading into the Christchurch fight.

"This is Joseph Parker's career this fight, the pressure is all on Joe come December 15," Barry began.

"We've never had this sort of pressure on us in the six years that we're together.

"The bottom line is that Joe has to perform and he has to perform well."

Barry also said that while the stakes for the December 15 bout are high, his team are confident that they've done enough to get the right result.

"We've prepared as well as we possibly can. We've had a good camp, his health's been good, the work that he's shown me has been good. His strength and conditioning has been the best that it's been all year.

"Joe knows the significance of this fight, as I said before, this is Joseph Parker's career. We have to get the result.

"If we want to be considered among the top elite heavyweights in the world, Joe has to demolish this guy in Christchurch."

Confident of victory, Parker and his team are hoping to use this fight as a stepping stone on their path back to the top.

"Once we get the win on December 15, we'll sit down as a team, and we can start planning out 2019.

"We know we've got some great options for 2019, but all of that means absolutely nothing if we don't take care of Alexander Flores."

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