New Zealand heavyweight boxer Joseph Parker is in the midst of intensive preparations for his bout against Britain's Fabio Wardley. The fight is scheduled for October 25th at the O2 Arena in London. Parker’s training camp, based in Ireland, is being led by renowned trainer Andy Lee, who has revealed some details of their strategy.
The camp is set up at the Ballybrack Boxing Club in Dublin. According to Andy Lee, the current week has been particularly demanding for Parker as it was his first week of sparring. However, instead of pushing the intensity to the limit, the team decided to have a "fun day," focusing on tactical elements.
"Today is almost like a fun day because we're not concerned about him working hard," Lee explains. "We're concerned about him working on the things he needs to do to win the fight. Sometimes when you're sparring, you get preoccupied with winning the spars and you don't always practice your game plan or rehearse the things you need to do in the actual fight. And so that's what we're going to do today."
Lee emphasizes the importance of complete concentration when facing a dangerous puncher like Fabio Wardley. "Joe's got to stay concentrated for every second of the fight. That's a very difficult thing to do because he's in with a big puncher in Fabio Wardley."
Joseph Parker himself places full trust in his coach and team, noting the importance of discipline and respect in the sport. "We can be having fun and telling jokes and all that, but when it's time to work, that's the respect that we have for the game and for the sport," says Parker. "When it's time to work, he [Andy Lee] is the boss, he's the coach, he's the leader, and I'm listening to everything he says."
Parker is entirely focused on the upcoming challenge. "Every fight that's in front of us is the fight we focus on... all our energy is towards Fabio Wardley on the 25th of October," the fighter stated.
In addition to work in the ring, preparation includes strength and conditioning sessions led by George Lockhart, who has previously worked with stars like Conor McGregor and Tyson Fury. Lockhart oversees all aspects outside of boxing: recovery, strength work, nutrition, and overall physical fitness. Parker's day concludes with recovery procedures, including the pool and sauna, which are an integral part of a modern, top-level training process.
