Fight very close as rival’s attempts to get under Anthony Joshua’s skin work a treat

Trash talk in combat sports can serve a variety of functions.

Done correctly, it can ramp up the public's interest in seeing a fight which can translate directly to pay-per-view sales. But another potential outcome of successful trash talk is that it can get in a fighter's head. That was exactly what Joseph Parker was hoping to do when he and his promotional team released footage of Anthony Joshua being wobbled earlier this week and offered £20,000 to anyone who could find a clip of Parker being dropped. https://twitter.com/SportsJOE_UK/status/933815977812332544 It was an attempt at getting under Joshua's skin, with the goal being to force 'AJ' to want to prove that he doesn't have a "glass jaw", as Parker's handler David Higgins suggested at a press conference midweek. And credit to the Kiwi's camp because they've definitely touched a nerve with the undefeated Brit. Joshua's promoter Eddie Hearn has revealed that Joshua is suddenly raring to go when it comes to Parker, having initially been relatively non-committal on the subject of his next opponent. "We are single digits, percentages away right now, and we have to be creative," Hearn told Sky Sports. "We have to look the revenue streams. We are already talking about potential venues, potential dates, so it's a good sign.

"I believe they want the fight. They have done a good job on Anthony Joshua, because his message to me last night was very simple, 'let me at him.'

"He's winding him up, he's pushing the right buttons to get the bite out of Anthony Joshua and Anthony wants to fight Joseph Parker. He wants to do a job on him and we hope it's the next fight for the spring." While Parker, who holds the WBO heavyweight title, is currently much closer to the Joshua fight than WBC champion Deontay Wilder, Hearn went on to admit that he is looking at a summer clash with Wilder for 'AJ' once the Parker fight goes according to plan.