With his career on the line, Kiwi heavyweight Joseph Parker has been able to tap into an ally with incomparable experience against his next opponent, former WBC world champion Deontay Wilder.
On Sunday (NZ time), Parker and Wilder will square off on a stacked Riyadh card that has the potential to relaunch flagging reputations - or dash future title hopes for good. Headlining the 'Day of Reckoning' event will be former IBF, WBO, and IBO champion Anthony Joshua against Swede Otto Wallin.
Matchmakers are already talking about a Wilder v Joshua showdown that seemed so elusive when they were both beltholders. Now, they desperately need that bout to rekindle their title aspirations.
Parker and Wallin stand in their way, and the Kiwi - who lost his WBO crown to Joshua in 2018 - is leaning heavily on his friendship with Englishman Tyson Fury to survive against 'The Bronze Bomber'.
Fury has a draw and two wins against Wilder, claiming the WBC championship in February 2020 and defending it in a October 2021 rematch.
"I said to Tyson, 'What advice would you give me?'," Parker told Newshub. "He said, 'Don't get hit by the right hand, don't get knocked out and you'll win the fight'.
"I said, 'Thank you very much, bro, I appreciate that and I'm going to take that advice on board. I'll do my best not to get hit'."
Parker, 31, has heard the Wilder v Joshua speculation, but warns it's premature to look beyond this weekend and make plans too far in advance.
"I don't really care what they have planned," he said. "In boxing, there's always going to be plans behind the scenes for the next event and the next fight and for things to come.
"All my focus is on smashing his face and getting the win. If I perform to the best of my ability, I know I can win... I know I will win."
Parker has his own big plans, which seemed a very long way away, when he was knocked out for the first time by Brit Joe Joyce in September 2022. He's spent the past 12 months rebuilding his confidence and arrived back to that place with a third-round knockout of Canadian Simon Kean at Riyadh just two months ago.
"I've been thinking about a lot of big fights next year, but none of that can come to fruition, unless I smash this guy's face and win," he said. "You can think about being world champ, think about fighting Joshua, think about fighting anyone else, but none of that can happen unless you put in a good performance and win well.
"I still want to be champ of the world and fight more big fights, but I have to take care of this big fight first."
Also on the Riyadh card is longtime Auckland rival and friend Junior Fa, who is - ironically - helping Wilder prepare for his fight with Parker.
"I know Junior Fa, I've fought him many times as an amateur and once as a professional," said Parker. "In boxing, you make these friendships and connections, and In think he's been connected to Deontay Wilder for a long time.
"Of course, Deontay will be leaning on him for some sparring. I have Tyson Fury - the man who beat Wilder three times.
"In boxing, everyone mixes with everyone. At the moment, I'm mixing with the right team and the right person who beat him."
Watch the video for the full interview
