THE relationship with Andy Lee just keeps getting better and better. When youโve worked with someone for so long, you become very close, weโre pretty much like family now. Each camp gets better and better.
The first camp, for the first Derek Chisora fight, was okay. The second camp was better but this one, for Joe Joyce, has been the best of them all. There are many reasons for that. The time Iโve had with Andy has meant he has added more things to what I can do in the ring. Itโs the whole setup thatโs good. Tyson [Fury] has given us the gym to use, a house to rent, and Iโve flew in a chef to do all the cooking โ which is the first time Iโve ever done that. This hasnโt just been the best camp with Andy, itโs been the best camp of my career, so far.
As for being away from my kids, my family, you get used to it. But then, at the same time, you never get used to it. I based myself here in England because, for boxing and my career, this is what I need to do and what I have chosen to do. My wife is very understanding, even though itโs very hard. Iโve got four beautiful young girls back home, itโs very hard to be away from them. But to be the best, you need to surround yourself with the best.
Boxing is not going to be something Iโm doing until Iโm 40. I have a good four or five years left where Iโm going to give it everything I have. If Iโm back home, worrying about spending time with family and trying to train at the same time, I wouldnโt get the best out of myself. Itโs hard, but Iโve got to do it.
The more I think about this fight with Joe Joyce, the more excited I get because the challenge he represents is a big one. Not many people go looking for a fight with him. Heโs good, heโs shown a lot in his career so far, the pressure he brings, the engine he has. But, to be the best, you have to fight who is in front of you and I think heโs the best possible opponent for me at this stage of my career. I want that challenge, I want to face everything that he brings.
The aim for me is to fight for the world title. I just want to give everything I have for the fights I have in front of me and for now, that is Joe Joyce. I want to be dominant, I want to put on a showcase. Iโve been criticised in the past for just boxing and moving but I want to do more than that. Tyson Fury is a friend but heโs also champion of the world. But it would be wrong to focus on that now, I have to get past Joe Joyce first.
But being world champion is what keeps me going. I already have financial security for my family and boxing has blessed me with that. Now itโs for me, now itโs to achieve everything I want to achieve. In the past, I was doing it for other people, now itโs for myself.
It feels great to be a part of this heavyweight mix, to be ranked highly, but I know I can achieve more. Instead of being the defensive, passive fighter, I want to give the fans more.
I wasnโt always able to do that. The Joseph Parker who fought Anthony Joshua in 2018 was trying to convince himself that he belonged in the mix. The Joseph Parker of today knows heโs in the mix. Iโm more positive now, I wonโt wait on the back foot for opportunities in the ring, Iโll go out there and make those opportunities. Thatโs the big difference now.
I used to come into camp fat and heavy. Thatโs not a good start, mentally and physically. But now I train all the time, whether I have a fight coming up or not. Iโm always ready now, whereas back then, I wasnโt.
I am very thankful to Tyson Fury, who has played a huge part in that change. He introduced me to Andy Lee, heโs given me his gym, heโs pretty much given me his whole team and said, โThis is it, now you have no excuses.โ He lets Andy and I work on things, obviously, but when heโs around, heโs not afraid to offer advice, to push me, to help me.
I always thought he would come back but whenever I spoke to him he was always adamant that heโd retired. His dad would speak to him, his brother would speak to him and heโd tell them he was retired too. But heโs certainly been busy. He had the fight with Dillian Whyte, then he retired, then he called out Thor, then he retired, then he kicked the taxi, he punched a wrestler, then he retired again. In all seriousness, I have a lot to thank him for, heโs the reason Iโm here in Morecambe.
Iโve made Morecambe my home. People now call me โMorecambe Joeโ or โGypsy Joeโ wherever I go. The weather in the summer certainly helped. Then I woke up this morning, looked out of the window and itโs raining. I said to myself, โWelcome backโ.
When I wake up in the morning my first thought is with my family. I always call them to say hello. Then I do a morning prayer and do my breathing exercises. Thereโs no concerns or doubts, at all, about this fight, even as it gets closer.
In the past, when I was training in Vegas and I hadnโt ticked all the boxes, thatโs when you have doubt. Youโve trained, but you havenโt been fully committed. Thatโs when you start to ask yourself if youโre really ready for this fight. But when youโve ticked all the boxes, that goes away. Obviously we are human, tiny doubts can creep in, nerves can occur, but thatโs it. I speak to a psychologist once a week and with Andy and Tyson being around who are full of encouragement โ โno one will beat youโ โ you just get better and better mentally. You get stronger physically, too.
BT Sport Box Office will show Joe Joyce v Joseph Parker exclusively live on Saturday 24th September. Learn more at bt.com/sportboxoffice