Joseph Parker promoter David Higgins reacts to the news that the fight between his charge Joseph Parker and Anthony Joshua is now set and stone – with date, TV broadcaster and venue all confirmed.

The fight will be shown as a box office pay per view in the UK and Ireland on Sky Sports Box Office and it is understood the bout will be shown on Showtime in the US.

It will take place on March 31st at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff, Wales.

In recent weeks Parker’s promoter David Higgins has been giving animated and colorful interviews to media outlets to get his man published more in the UK.

It has paid off. Speaking of the news today Higgins said:

“Eddie has been great to work with from day one. I know we ruffled a few feathers along the way but, as Eddie acknowledged, when you come from a small country and people perceive you as a small player, sometimes you’ve got to make a bit of noise.”

He went on to say:

“New Zealand might be a tiny country on the other side of the world but it has a hugely proud sporting tradition – and a particularly strong tradition when it comes to whipping mother England. Joseph Parker is the absolute epitome of the Kiwi sporting battler. It has been said that he is punching above his weight, but he didn’t become WBO heavyweight champion by being lucky.”

He concluded:

“He’s never been stopped, never even been wobbled in the ring. He’s consistently fought fighters in the world’s top ten and he’s beaten them all easily. It certainly won’t be a shock to me when he beats Anthony Joshua and takes his titles back home to New Zealand.”

Expect plenty of mind games and comments from David Higgins over the course of the next few weeks.

He already thinks they have gotten underneath Joshua’s skin and it appears to be part of their game plan to try to rattle him leading up to the bout in a bid to get a perceived edge before the first bell rings.

I’m not sure will he be wasting his time or not though – Joshua doesn’t seem to care in the slightest so far.