By Chris Barclay

Joseph Parker is under orders not to talk up - or down to - Anthony Joshua as the New Zealand heavyweight boxer's preparations for a title fight enters its next phase in Christchurch - and don't expect him to bad mouth Solomon Haumono either.

Although verbal sparring, 'trash talking', is commonplace in the lead-up to a fight night, Parker is clearly more comfortable with his fists doing the talking as he targets Joseph's IBF belt as the mandatory challenger to the Englishman's crown.

The 24-year-old's next opponent, a reformed former league player-turned boxer with a history of drug and alcohol issues, seems a logical candidate to punish through pre-fight posturing but Parker insists he will never follow the game plan of Muhammad Ali, or an Anthony Mundine. 

Parker, who fights Haumono at Horncastle Arena next Thursday, tried sledging once earlier in his career, and dropped the tactic after he talked the talked, but couldn't walk the walk because Sherman Williams went the distance before losing by unanimous decision in 2014.

"I said I was going to knock out Sherman Williams, or something. It wasn't really trash talking, I didn't really say it with any authority. I wasn't used to it and realised 'Nup, that's not my style'."

Parker's trainer Kevin Barry isn't about to put words into Parker's mouth either - a role he performed with David Tua.

"I'd talk all the s..t for him [Tua]. I got very good at tearing guys to bits in press conferences,' said Barry, who warned Duco Events head Dean Lonergan he would take a softly softly approach when he agreed to train Parker in 2013.

"It was always going to be the right thing to do with Joe, for him not to be a mouth. They tried to get Joe to amp it up, I said (to Lonergan) 'No mate, we don't need to do that'."

So Barry, who has instructed Parker not to mention Joshua by name since he arrived in New Zealand last weekend because the focus is solely on Haumono, was predictably respectful when quizzed on the 40-year-old, who is currently 11th on the WBA rankings with a record of 24 wins [21 KO] 2 draws and 2 losses..

"Solomon is a very good athlete, a very strong powerful guy. We have a lot of respect for his power. We know we can't be careless. We know we've got to use our skill and our hand speed to control our distance and keep him on the outside."

Solomon Haumono has been training in Los Angeles under the guidance of experienced strength and conditioning guru Justin Fortune to prepare for his heavyweight bout with Joseph Parker.

Meanwhile, Barry was revelling the opportunity to stage a fight in his hometown, the city where his amateur career was nurtured by his father, Kevin Barry senior.

"Ever since we signed the dotted line and put this fight on paper I've had a little smile on my face thinking 'we're bringing a fight to Christchurch'," he said.

Parker, 19-0 [16 KO], also has fond memories of Christchurch, the venue of his fourth pro fight, and last before he linked with Barry.

In February 2013 he made short work of Aucklander Dontay Pati who was stopped 2min 34sec into the opening round of their bout at the Hornby Workingmen's Club.

"I was just beginning my professional career, it's been a big jump since then," he said, reminiscing before his first training session with fellow heavyweight Izu Ugonoh in Christchurch on Thursday.

"I was pretty raw, I went into the fight looking to smash him and get me out of there as fast as I could.

"Since then I've learnt how to control myself in the ring and have more patience. I believe I'm a different fighter now, a different beast."