By Duncan Johnstone
Tyson Fury's trainer has warned fellow British boxer Anthony Joshua to be wary of Joseph Parker, declaring the Kiwi heavyweight a "serious test" for the IBF world champion.
Peter Fury is Tyson's uncle and the man in the corner of the best heavyweight in the division who owns the WBO, WBA and IBO belts.
With the division heating up, Peter Fury took great interest in Parker's performance against Carlos Takam last weekend and was suitably impressed with the gutsy 12-round unanimous points win that moved the New Zealander in line for the mandatory challenge against Joshua.
Peter Fury suggested Joshua would have struggled with Takam's doggedness and said Parker had done well to come through that "banana skin test" and should now come on in "leaps and bounds" as he waits for his mandatory fight.
Peter Fury predicted that fight would be a beauty and certainly wouldn't be the cakewalk for Joshua many are suggesting.
"It's a very good fight for both of them. It'll be the first time Joshua has fought someone similar to himself," Peter Fury told Sky Sports in the UK of the inevitable match-up against the two rising stars.
"Joshua needs to be very aware of Parker rather than the other way around. Parker is a serious test and is up there.
"I think Parker is getting there. Takam was a tough fight and is a tough fight for anyone. It was a great learning fight for Parker because when these heavyweights step up, you see the weaknesses appear and the cracks open up.
"It's all part of the learning process and I thought Parker did very well. He can't do more than win the fight and he'll come on leaps and bounds. That's the type of fight he needed so it was a good win for him.
"He's not going in there and blowing Takam out. Even Anthony Joshua wouldn't blow Takam out because when you step up, you can't hit these fighters clean on the chin and sometimes you do and they come right back.
"Parker had a good fight, got a good win and paced it right. Takam was always going to be in the fight. Let's not forget that Takam fought on a high level for quite a while. If it was a banana skin, Parker came through it with flying colours and he'll go from strength to strength."
Peter Fury is currently training Tyson Fury for his rematch with Wladimir Klitschko in Manchester on July 9.
Tyson Fury beat Klitschko by a unanimous points decision in Germany last November to rip open the division.
Tyson Fury tweeted his congratulations to Parker after the win over Takam, saying the Kiwi showed he now belonged in the elite division of heavyweights.
