Anthony Joshua vs Joseph Parker press conference LIVE: Watch and follow updates ahead of world title fight

Watch live as Joseph and Parker come face-to-face for the first time

World heavyweight champions Anthony Joshua and Joseph Parker will come face to face for the very first time this morning, and you can watch coverage of their press conference live on The Independent.

Joshua hopes to move one step closer to his goal of being the undisputed world heavyweight champion when he takes on Parker in Cardiff on March 31.

He currently holds the WBA and IBF versions of the world heavyweight title after stopping Wladimir Klitschko at Wembley Stadium, and will add Parker’s WBO bauble to his collection if he becomes the first ever man to beat the New Zealander.

After that, the WBC champion Deontay Wilder surely awaits.

Joshua’s fight with Parker is eagerly anticipated, and the contest marks the first time in boxing history that two reigning heavyweight world champions have met in Britain.

“It’s a classic match‑up between two young, fast, undefeated belt holders, and it’s going to be an explosive fight,” promised Joshua’s promoter, Eddie Hearn, earlier this week.

Watch the press conference above and follow updates with our live blog below.

Please allow a moment for the live blog to load.

Key Points

• Press conference due to start at 11am
• Watch live and follow updates with The Independent
• Joshua aiming to add Parker's WBO belt to his WBA and IBF titles

[16 January 2018 10:33 · Vithushan Ehantharajah]

Good morning and welcome to our live coverage of the first Anthony Joshua vs Joseph Parker press conference.

The presser is due to get underway at 11am, but this is boxing, so don't be surprised if that start time gets nudged back over the next half hour. Stick with us anyway for build-up and don't forget you can watch the conference live using the video player above.

[16 January 2018 10:38 · Vithushan Ehantharajah]

While we're waiting for the big men to arrive, why not read Steve Bunce's fine analysis of the current heavyweight landscape?

[16 January 2018 10:49 · Vithushan Ehantharajah]

Joseph Parker and his team have been exceptionally noisy during the negotiations for this fight, even calling a press conference a few weeks back to dub the Brit ‘Glass Jaw Joshua’, complete with montage video featuring various knockdowns.

And Eddie Hearn recently warned the Kiwi and his camp that Joshua is looking forward to biting back.

“They are doing a good job of getting under AJ's skin and he wants to knock Joseph Parker out, simple as that,” he said. “I wouldn't say it has become personal yet, but it is getting there.”

“It's going to be interesting because we haven't really seen that with AJ before. So I'm excited to get this over the line and I'm excited for the buildup as well.

“There have been times when AJ has said to me about Higgins, 'who is this guy?' But he (Higgins) has got the attention and anything that makes the fight bigger, I'm all up for. I hope he brings that quirkiness with him to the press conferences but he may need his security if he pushes too many buttons on AJ.”

Will we see the feud become personal this morning?

[16 January 2018 10:51 · Vithushan Ehantharajah]

Things are starting to build-up in central London...

Eddie Hearn is in position at the front of the room and David Higgins is currently giving an interview to Sky Sports News at the back of the room. 

[16 January 2018 10:59 · Vithushan Ehantharajah]

Defeating Joseph Parker and adding the WBO heavyweight world title to his collection is just the first step on Joshua's path to undisputed glory in 2018.

Read more about that here:

[16 January 2018 11:12 · Vithushan Ehantharajah]

This won’t be easy

In contrast to Joseph Parker, Anthony Joshua has been in a more magnanimous mood ahead of this fight, acknowledging earlier this week that becoming the first man to defeat the WBO heavyweight champion will “not be easy”.

“I would like to announce the official news that myself and Joseph Parker will be fighting on March 31 at Principality Stadium in Cardiff.

“It is a unification heavyweight championship fight. We all know what happened last time I was in a unification heavyweight championship fight - it was gruelling, it was interesting and we both left the ring with masses of respect.

“These fights aren't easy because there is a lot on the line, so respect to team Parker for taking the challenge. I am looking forward to it, training camp is under way and before you know it March 31 will be upon us.”

[16 January 2018 11:14 · Vithushan Ehantharajah]

Ticket info

Matchroom Boxing has just announced ticket details for the unification fight.

Tickets for the event will be priced at £40, £60, £80, £100, £150, £200, £300 and £600 – with VIP tickets priced at a cool £2000.

Tickets will go on sale to Fight Pass members on Monday 22 January, before going on general sale a day later.

[16 January 2018 11:26 · Vithushan Ehantharajah]

Latest odds

With the fight everyone’s been announced over the weekend, Betsafe.com has pulled together some odds for the heavyweight unification fight.

With AJ being favourite for the victory at 1/14 to take the WBO belt off Joseph Parker. The Kiwi is at 9/1 to take AJ’s belts off him.

More impressively Anthony Joshua is at 1/6 to take the win by KO whereas the challenger is at 33/1 to inflict the first KO on the British Icon.

[16 January 2018 11:37 · Vithushan Ehantharajah]

Joshua is here!

The two boxers are in position, as are Hearn and Higgins. Here we go!

[16 January 2018 11:40 · Vithushan Ehantharajah]

Eddie Hearn gets things underway.

“British boxing continues to grow to new levels. It’s the first time in Britain that two reigning world heavyweight champions have met. This is a great fight and part of a huge year.”