Massey steps up to face biggest fight of his life

But it is an unexpected taste of the big time for the 29-year-old as he finds himself in the public glare of live Sky Box office action on the undercard of the prestigious Chris Eubank Jr vs Liam Smith at Manchester Arena on Saturday, 21st January.

“It’s a life-changing fight,” Massey admitted. “He’s a top 10 heavyweight, if we go in there and get the job done it’s life-changing.

“We got the offer just over four weeks ago and it was pretty much a straight yes immediately.

“It was something we couldn't refuse.

“We had talked about moving up to heavyweight later in my career as I am still young. I was going to stay cruiserweight for a while but we were struggling for the fights.”

Massey has just been stripped of the IBO world title he won beating Belgian Bilal Laggoune in November 2021 as opponents withdrawing and issues with his promoters had left him unable to firm up a defence.

“It's been a tough year for me and I have lost my titles through no fault of my own,” he said.

“But we have grabbed this with both hands as it's a win-win fight. It's a big ask. But win it and it's life-changing stuff. If we don't we can drop back down to cruiserweight and see what's there.

“I need to put on a huge show on such a huge platform.

“People can’t say I’m just turning up for the money because if I win this fight and stay at heavyweight, then it’s another life-changing fight next against a top 10 heavyweight.”

Massey has already been in the ring with Parker.

“I sparred with him in Morecambe about a year ago so he's not completely alien,” said Massey.

“It was a good, close spar. I have been in there with other heavyweights as well so it's not completely unknown territory to me.”

A bonus for Massey is that he won't need to worry too much about his weight for the clash.

“I am just walking around naturally,” he said.

“I usually have to cut down for cruiserweight but I am not having to do that. I am used to being 15 and a half stone about 12 weeks from a fight.

“So I will weigh in at that comfortably at that. I will not have to put extra weight on which my body would not be used to and leave me less mobile and quick as I want to be.

Parker has won 30 of his 33 fights, 11 by knock-out, but is coming off the first knockout defeat of his career against Joe Joyce last time out so he is definitely not invincible.

His only other defeats came at the hands of Dillian Whyte and a world title unification fight against Anthony Joshua.

“I’m not daft,” Massey said. “It’s a tough fight, everyone can see that, but I wouldn’t go in there if I didn’t think I could beat him.

“At first I thought there’s no pressure, but as I’ve got deeper into the camp, I’d probably say there is a lot of pressure there because it is a life-changing fight.

“If I win this it’s going to shoot me right into the mix and it’s about making yourself financially stable.

“That’s one of the main reasons I’m in this game and if I beat Joseph Parker, the money available after this fight could set me up for life, so there’s pressure there.”