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Parker's split decision on how to beat AJ

A confident Joseph Parker says he is yet to decide how he will beat fellow unbeaten heavyweight Anthony Joshua in their blockbuster Cardiff showdown.

Anthony Joshua and Joseph Parker.
Joseph Parker (right) says he hasn't decided how he wants to beat undefeated Brit Anthony Joshua. (AAP)

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Source: AAP


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Unbeaten Kiwi heavyweight Joseph Parker says he will wait until fight night to decide how to beat Anthony Joshua.

The 26-year-old, who faces off against the undefeated Londoner at Cardiff's Principality Stadium on Saturday, says it is his "time" to take hot favourite Joshua's WBA, IBF and IBO titles back to New Zealand.

"I haven't decided how I want to beat him yet," Parker told a press conference in London on Tuesday.

"I don't know if it's a knockout or if it's points or decision, I'll see how I feel on fight night.

The relatively respectful build-up continued with both camps calm and confident ahead of the blockbuster bout, some good-natured banter between rival promoters David Higgins and Eddie Hearn providing the welcome theatre.

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"We've had a great build-up, we've had a tremendous camp, had some great sparring sessions and a lot of pain but we've embraced it," Parker said.

"I'm looking forward to putting on the best Joseph Parker there is.

"I feel ready, I feel confident, I feel sharp. My movement is better than ever. I'm taking those belts back to New Zealand and Samoa."

London Olympic gold medallist Joshua added the IBO and WBA 'super' belts to his IBF title with a stunning victory over Ukrainian legend Wladimir Klitschko at Wembley Stadium last year.

His trainer, Rob McCracken, said that fight remained Joshua's toughest challenge.

"I think Klitschko is his toughest test to date without a shadow of a doubt," McCracken said.

"Fifty-six or something knockouts ... I think that's his biggest test and this is the next biggest - it's a hurdle Anthony's got to get over."

The carrot of an ultimate unification bout against American Deontay Wilder or Tyson Fury looms, but both camps insist they are looking no further than Saturday.

"One thousand per cent one fight at a time," Joshua said.

"A lot of talk has been happening but people need to be realistic. I'm looking at Joseph Parker.

"For now, my future stops on Saturday and that's where I want to look to."


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