Heavyweight Joseph Parker speaks of love for Morecambe ahead of Joe Joyce fight

Heavyweight boxing contender Joseph Parker has spoken of his love for his adopted home of Morecambe ahead of his big fight with Joe Joyce this weekend.

The former WBO Heavyweight Champion from New Zealand has been living in Morecambe and training with his friend Tyson Fury ahead of Saturday's battle with the undefeated 'Juggernaut'.

Parker, 30, is from South Auckland and of Samoan heritage, and has now made Morecambe his home for more than a year since the WBC Heavyweight Champion Fury invited him to the town.

The talented boxer, whose only career defeats are to Anthony Joshua and Dillian Whyte, has set up training camp at Fury's gym next to Morecambe Football Club.

"I love it here in Morecambe," said Parker, in an interview with BT Sport (pictured below).

"Firstly I'm very grateful to Tyson and what he's done for myself, and everyone around him. He really looks after everyone. 

"I've made Morecambe my home. I really do enjoy it here in Morecambe and I've made a lot of friends."

Parker has been joining the 6ft 9in heavyweight champion Fury for training runs on Morecambe Promenade, and working out with his trainer Andy Lee at Tyson's facility at the Mazuma Stadium.

Tyson told BT Sport: "Joe has been training here with me for a year or so, 18 months coming up.

"Joe was having a bad spell in his career, so I said you can come over here and train and live with me if you want to, I'll give you a new start.

"So he came over and gelled in, and now he's become 'Gypsy Joe' and everybody in Morecambe loves him, and he's a homegrown Lancashire lad now!"

Parker will face Joyce in Manchester live on BT Sport Box Office, with the winner becoming mandatory challenger for Oleksandr Usyk's WBO Title.

The 37-year-old Londoner is the British and Commonwealth Heavyweight Champion, and was Olympic silver medallist in 2016.

Parker has a record of 30 wins in 32 fights, 21 by knockout. He is the only boxer from New Zealand ever to win a recognised version of the world heavyweight championship.

Watch the full BT Sport video of Joseph Parker training with Tyson Fury in Morecambe here.