Joseph Parker admits that his recent decision to hire Andy Lee as head trainer was influenced by WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury.

Parker recently parted ways with longtime trainer Kevin Barry, who helped the New Zealand star capture the WBO heavyweight title.

Last month, Parker struggled in his decision victory over Junior Fa.

The lackluster performance prompted him to make a big change to the corner - and he saw former champion Lee as the man to align with. Lee trains several boxers and works as the assistant trainer to Fury.

"I called Tyson and said: 'I'm looking for a trainer'," Parker told Sky Sports.

"He said Andy would be perfect. Five days later I was on a plane flying to Ireland. Everything happened fast."

Parker is preparing for a crossroads fight with dangerous heavyweight Derek Chisora. Their fight will headline a pay-per-view event on May 1.

Lee is a student of the late Hall of Fame trainer Emanuel Steward of the Kronk gym in Detroit.

"A little bit of Kronk would help change things up," Parker said.

"It's exactly what I need for Chisora. It's probably what I needed for Dillian Whyte, to not be bullied and chased and thrown around the ring. I didn't prepare that way for the Whyte fight. But I should for this fight.

"I was with Kevin for eight years so became used to his way of doing things but Andy has shown me a few other things. We clicked from the beginning. I was so used to the training we had, flying to Vegas, the same routine. I'm not getting younger. I want to achieve in boxing. Kevin and I decided it was a time to try something else. This is a new excitement, it is new and different. I'm challenging myself."

Chisora has also decided to hire a new trainer to prepare for the upcoming fight - and recently revealed that he retained veteran coach and former world champion Buddy McGirt.