Joseph Parker

Kiwi Parker makes his British debut in Manchester on September 23 when he defends his WBO world heavyweight title against local hope Hughie Fury.

It will be just Parker's fifth bout overseas after an unbeaten run of 23 professional fights with his rapid success built on home performances. He fought twice in the United States and once in Germany in his early career and also had a win in Samoa.

Britain is the hotbed of the heavyweight scene right now and Parker knows this is his chance to make a statement.

Fury has literally headed to the hills to prepare for their September 23 clash in Manchester, immersing himself in an outdoors lifestyle at Windermere in Britain's famous Lake District.

Living out of a caravan, the 22-year-old is reportedly pushing himself to new limits with his fitness efforts to complement his boxing work in a local gym.

He says he's taking a lead from greats like Muhammad Ali in his bid to win a world title.

The Kiwi heavyweight has been welcomed into the camp of Floyd Mayweather Jr, who is getting ready for a big fight of his own, against Mixed Martial Arts star Conor McGregor.

Mayweather quit boxing in September 2015, with a 49-0 record, but has come out of retirement to fight McGregor, who has a 21-3 MMA record and is notorious for his trash talk.

Mayweather was not the tallest man, though renowned for his reach across the various fly, light and welterweight classes in which he has fought. He was 173cm tall compared with Joseph Parker who measured in at 193cm.

Joseph Parker may be fighting Tyson Fury's younger cousin but that has not stopped the former world heavyweight champion from taking aim at the Kiwi's UK-based critics.

Parker takes his first step towards cracking the lucrative British market when he puts his WBO heavyweight title on the line against Hughie Fury in Manchester on September 23. And it appears he has some convincing to do judging by the luke-warm reception he's received by some pundits in England.

Outspoken British boxer Tony Bellew remains interested in challenging Joseph Parker for the WBO world title, without committing to the Kiwi champion as the next man he wants to fight.

A cruiserweight world champion who stepped into the heavyweight division limelight by defeating former champion David Haye in March, Bellew is right in the mix as a potential opponent for Parker.

A 34-strong New Zealand team will leave tomorrow for the competition.

Some of the athletes meet each other for the first time today, in their fresh uniforms you could tell they were feeling a mix of excitement with nervousness.

One of them sixteen year-old Pelea Fruean started boxing at the age of 12 when her big cousin Joseph Parker started teaching her.

Parker defends his WBO World Heavyweight title against Fury in Manchester on September 23, with the winner placing themselves in prime position for a showdown with WBA and IBF champion Joshua.

Joshua has a rematch against Wladimir Klitschko and a challenge from IBF mandatory challenger Kubrat Pulev to get through first, but the promoters of both Joshua and Parker met on Tuesday (NZ time) to talk up a showdown between their two prize fighters in 2018.

Joseph Parker's team met Anthony Joshua promotor Eddie Hearn to discuss a potential fight next year.

Englishman Fury has been barred from taking part in an official fight before their September 23 bout in Manchester.

WBO rules specify that once a mandatory challenger signs to challenge the champion, they cannot fight before their title shot.

"The WBO, once you're a mandatory, you're not allowed to have a fight before your title shot, otherwise you'll lose your position. He's got some cobwebs to blow off, so he'll be in an exhibition," promoter Frank Warren told Boxing News.

Parker left New Zealand yesterday as he begins preparation to fight against his undefeated heavyweight opponent.

The two were set to clash in Auckland on May 6th before Fury pulled out citing a back injury.

Now fighting away from home, Parker said he's keen to prove his doubters wrong.

"I know there's a lot of doubters out there but I'll use my fists and let my fists do the talking.

"I think I have to go there and knock him (Fury) out to make a statement so that's what I'm going to do," Parker said.

The pair were meant to fight for Parker's World Boxing Organisation crown last month, but Englishman Fury pulled out citing a back injury.

Fury was replaced by Romanian Razvan Cojanu, who Parker beat in Auckland last month.

Now Duco Boss David Higgins told Radio LIVE's Sunday Sport an announcement will be made shortly about Parker and Fury getting in the ring together.

"The World Boxing Organisation has ordered we fight the mandatory challenger, which is Hughie Fury," Higgins said on RadioLive.  "They had given us 30 days to negotiate terms with the Fury camp.