Joseph Parker

The New Zealand heavyweight returns to the ring to take on Faiga 'Django' Opelu over 10 rounds and says victory is his only option.

"My career is on the line in every fight, every fight is a must win from now on."

Parker says he is in the best shape of his life and to expect fireworks.

The 31-year-old says he has been sparring strongly and has envisioned a knockout win.

"I feel very dangerous and I just want to bring this feeling that I have into the ring tomorrow night, that dangerous feeling."

Fury, the WBC heavyweight champion, joined Parker at this afternoon’s press conference ahead of the Wednesday night show at the Margaret Court Arena and, in between occasional profanities in a broadcast streamed live in New Zealand and Australia, he spoke about his Kiwi mate’s impressive preparation for his latest challenge.

The self-styled Gypsy King has travelled downunder to support Parker – a long-time ally away from the ring and occasional training partner in his home town of Morecambe in England.

The pair will square off at Manchester Arena on Sunday (NZT) with live coverage to be shown on both Three and ThreeNow.

Newshub reports Parker is aiming to bounce back from his first career knockout loss, after falling to Joe Joyce for the vacant WBO interim heavyweight title last September.

He now has the perfect opportunity to launch himself back into contention with a victory over a division newcomer.

Kiwi Parker’s opponent for the heavyweight clash at the Manchester Arena on Sunday, January 21 (NZT) is Englishman Jack Massey.

Massey, 29, is moving up a division from cruiserweight and represents a somewhat curious choice for Parker given his modest record and profile.

Still, Parker is taking no chances. In an interview with 1News, Parker has revealed that after suffering from illness before the Joyce fight – which he believes robbed him of energy at the very least – his current routine is limited to training, sleeping and eating at his Morecambe base.

Massey is stepping up from cruiserweight to take on former WBO heavyweight champion Parker in Manchester on January 22 (NZT).

Parker is looking to rebound from the first knockout loss of his career at the hands of Joe Joyce last September, and intends to put in a statement performance to get him back in the mix at the top of the glamour division.

“Jack’s got my full attention now, and he’s going to get it,” Parker told Sky Sports.

Dillian Whyte and Joseph Parker went toe-to-toe in a London thriller in 2018.

Parker, back training in Morecambe in England following a break in New Zealand after his technical knockout defeat to Joe Joyce in September, is hoping to fight again in January and Jennings would appear to fit the bill.

The Joyce setback in Manchester was Parker’s first stoppage defeat as a professional – the 30-year-old, bleeding from a cut over his right eye – was put on the canvas by a left hook in the 11th and penultimate round – but if anything his allure to English audiences in particular increased.

Fury, who has been training alongside Parker at his Morecambe home, has always said he would never fight his friend, but he revealed after Thursday morning’s press conference in London promoting the Whyte showdown that Parker would replace the unpredictable Whyte if required.

Fury told IFL TV: “We’ve said, ‘It’s not personal, strictly business’. If this fight happens we’ve shook hands and agreed, we're gonna throw down.”

Parker’s manager David Higgins confirmed the agreement with 1News on Thursday morning.

The former WBO heavyweight champion has targeted the top-ranked WBO heavyweight according to his manager David Higgins.

Parker is coming off an impressive win over Derek Chisora late last year.

"He fought Chisora and dominated him so his brand equity in the world and United Kingdom is at an all-time high," Higgins told Sky Sports.

"The question is 'who next?' Joseph has signalled that he'd like to fight as soon as humanly possible. A possible opponent is Joe Joyce.

Parker scored an impressive unanimous points win in his rematch with Derek Chisora in Manchester on Sunday. As the year winds down, the focus now falls on where the heated heavyweight division is heading in 2022.

WBC champion Fury has a mandatory challenge to take from Dillian Whyte, but negotiations are struggling and Arum suggested Fury could even vacate his belt, raising Parker or former world champion Andy Ruiz Jr, as worthy alternatives for a UK stadium fight.

Parker, who won the first fight back in May by a controversial split decision, won this morning's bout far more decisively, by at least two rounds on all three judges scorecards.

The former WBO heavyweight champion was particularly strong in the first half of the fight, with Chisora given a standing eight count on three occasions, in rounds three, seven and right.

But to Chisora's credit, he stayed in the contest, refusing to go down, with Parker unable to finish off the fight.

"I just felt like it was a continuation of the first fight," Parker said.