Gary Cornish predicts Anthony Joshua vs Joseph Parker

Joseph Parker

ANTHONY JOSHUA will face Joseph Parker on March 31, the first time two reigning heavyweight champions have fought on British soil. As a former opponent of Joshua, Gary โ€˜The Highlanderโ€™ Cornish had his say on AJโ€™s historic next step.

On his own performance against Joshua, Cornish admits it came too soon: โ€œI didnโ€™t think that at the timeโ€ฆ but obviously looking back I could have done with more experience.โ€ Itโ€™s a fight Cornish claims to have learned a lot from and heโ€™s far from remorseful about his first loss, as he adds, โ€œYouโ€™ve got to take your chances when theyโ€™re there.โ€

Parker wonโ€™t find himself similarly in need of experience, Cornish argues, โ€œParkerโ€™s had experience. Heโ€™s fought a couple of tough opponents. I watched his fight against Takam and Takamโ€™s a tough opponent, you never know, anything can happen on the night. Parker might surprise us.โ€

Realistically though, Cornish is still expecting another Joshua win, and predicts it will come inside the distance. โ€œI think Parkerโ€™s not that bigโ€ he notes, โ€œJoshuaโ€™s power will be too much for him. I think about round four or five Joshua will stop him.โ€

In AJโ€™s last bout, The Highlander argued the referee may have stopped in before time. โ€œIt was a bit disappointing it got stopped then,โ€ he says, and itโ€™s not an opinion he is alone in holding, โ€œbut if the referee thinks heโ€™s got to protect the boxer heโ€™s got toโ€ฆ I was hoping it would go the distance. He was getting beat like but he wanted to go the distance.โ€

anthony joshua vs joseph parker press conference

It was AJโ€™s epic showdown with Wladimir Klitschko at Wembley that Cornish saw as 2017โ€™s boxing highlight though. โ€œFor me it was probably the fight of the year. Both of them were down, they were back up, you didnโ€™t know which way it was gonna go, swinging both ways.

โ€œWas the fight of the year for me.โ€

Reflecting on any possible chink in Joshuaโ€™s armour Cornish says, in reference to Klitschkoโ€™s chance to finish AJ: โ€œI think it was thereโ€. He continued, โ€œKlitschko felt like he was in control [after the knockdown] but looking back he probably thinks he should have gone all out and tried to stop him there.โ€

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