Boxing: Promoters shake on bet as Parker and Whyte prepare for 'war'

London, July 26: Joseph Parker is confident he is ready for a "war" with Dillian Whyte on Saturday (July 28) in a bout that promoters Eddie Hearn and David Higgins now have money riding on.

Parker (24-1) is back in the United Kingdom to face Whyte (23-1) at the O2 Arena in London, having lost a controversial fight to Anthony Joshua in March.

And as both fighters talked up the magnitude of the clash, Hearn, Whyte's promoter, and Higgins, working with Parker, were encouraged to shake on a £20,000 bet on the outcome.

Parker believes he can deliver for Higgins, as he questioned Whyte's mouthy approach.

"The training camp has been great," Parker said. "It was a short camp but probably the best we've had in the five or six years we've been together.

"I'm in great shape, there's no excuses here. I used to come into fights and say, 'Hopefully I'll have a good fight, hopefully I'll get a knockout'. There's no 'hopefully' here.

"I'm here to do damage. I'm here to punch with bad intentions. I'm going to break him down. He's going to take a lot of punches.

FACE OFF | @DillianWhyte Vs @joeboxerparker 🤜🤛 Our heavyweight headliners this Saturday night at @TheO2 #WhyteParker pic.twitter.com/CVXL3Nf2dA

— Matchroom Boxing (@MatchroomBoxing) July 26, 2018

"My opponent's been talking a lot of smack. Sometimes smack talk is a sign of doubt and a sign of trying to convince himself and others that he's ready for this big challenge.

"The hunger, motivation and drive is all firing. I'm just looking forward to putting it all on display on Saturday night.

"Bring it on. He thinks I can't go to war. Wait and see. Less movement, more punches."

Whyte responded: "This is boxing; people come and say they're going to do this and do that. They do something else.

"I've been in the game long enough to know talk and actions are different things. Let's see what he comes with. Whatever he comes with, I'll be ready for it."

Pressed for a prediction, Whyte promised "pure pain".

"I always want to end these fights in bad fashion," he added. "He's been here a couple of times and no-one has hurt him yet. I want to be the first to hurt him.

"The prediction is pain, pure pain."