By Duncan Johnstone

Kevin Barry believes he and Team Parker are better equipped for their world title bid than David Tua's failed challenge in 2000.

Joseph Parker earned the mandatory right to challenge IBF belt holder Anthony Joshua after scoring a unanimous points win over France's Carlos Takam in their eliminator in south Auckland last Saturday night.

For Barry, it's another shot at the big time after he oversaw Tua's clash with imposing triple belt holder Lennox Lewis in Las Vegas.

Tua hardly fired a shot on the night against the clever Lewis who used his enormous height and reach advantage to keep his distance and popped his long jab for a comfortable unanimous points win.

Comparisons are going to be inevitable in the leadup to Parker's title fight with Joshua that could fall between November 19 and January 19.

Barry says each deserve their own place in New Zealand's boxing history and doesn't want to get into comparing Parker with Tua, seeing it as a no-win situation for him after the acrimonious split with Tua.

But he will say he feels he has better equipment around him, while he also believes he has developed considerably as a trainer in the 16 years since then.

Evidence of that was obvious on Saturday night as he guided Parker through some rough moments against Takam and executed a game plan to victory.

"The relationship I have with Joe is totally different to what I had with Tua. But I was at a different stage of my life as well," Barry said.

"When this opportunity arose with Joe I was already established in Las Vegas. I'm better equipped and I have better tools now than I had back in 1992 when I started with Tua. It was as different climate and a different time.

"I'm at a much better place than  then, we all are. We said we would do everything in our power to put Joe on an accelerated course and and give him the best coaching that we could possibly do which is what we have done. I think as a team we are all better equipped now. Joe has a great team round him in Duco Boxing, a lot of support and that's important. It's going to be important going forward.

"Things have happened very quickly. We have been on a very fast train for three years. We have got to make sure that train stays on the tracks now."

Parker appears to be a more rounded boxer than Tua who had a phenomenal left hook backed by a granite jaw but was guilty of being one-dimensional and handicapped by his height limitations.

Parker is also more dedicated during his lay-offs, meaning time isn't wasted at camps with weight issues that dogged Tua. Parker's physical development has been as astounding as his rapid performance gains.

Time is now crucial as they chart a course towards the title challenge. A July fight for Parker will be announced on Tuesday.

Asked if that was too soon, Barry replied: "That's a very good question and it needs to be asked. This was a draining fight but Joe got his breath back quickly."

Parker will have two weeks off, going to Dubai on Wednesday for a holiday that will continue in California before linking up with Barry in Las Vegas for the next camp.

Without looking at a replay fo the Takam fight, Barry said there were some obvious work-ons – stay off the ropes, don't stand too tall when being hit, better movement after throwing combinations, more body shots and better focus.

"Joe will see those errors, he's a very smart guy. But we saw how good he is when he uses that double-jab, that got us home. This was a great performance under immense pressure and Joe will have learned more from it than his previous 18 fights combined. He went to a dark place a couple of times and he now knows he can get out of a dark place. That's very important."

Barry said Joshua presented a bigger challenge in many ways.

"He has a sledgehammer right hand and he's a big guy ... he's a lot bigger than Joe."

But Barry questioned Joshua's quality of opponents in his unbeaten 16-fight pro career since winning gold at the London 2012 Olympics.

"He has never been in a war like Joe just went through. He has never fought a guy like Carlos Takam."

Parker faces intense pressure in the buildup to the Joshua fight.

His mandatory position will be at risk each time he fights. If he takes on another top five IBF fighter, it becomes a mandatory fight again. If he loses to someone outside the top 5, he loses the mandatory.

"That's why some some fighters don't fight once they get that mandatory. They protect that position and prepare in the gym," Barry said.

But there is value in keeping Parker developing in the ring with the right opposition as he waits his golden opportunity, especially as the mandatory process could still be drawn out depending on developments in the busy British heavyweight scene that could entice Joshua to go for a unification fight that takes precedence over a mandatory challenge.