Former WBO heavyweight champion Joseph Parker and his upcoming opponent Dillian Whyte have one significant thing in common - they have both tasted defeat at the hands of unified champ Anthony Joshua.

And Parker has recently given an amusing take on their respective experiences in the ring with the big man.

Speaking in the build-up to their July 28 showdown inside London's O2 Arena, the New Zealander Parker smiled as he reminded everyone just how Whyte's night ended against AJ.

“We’ve both been in with AJ. One of us ended the fight on our feet, the other didn’t. That pretty much speaks for itself,” said Parker, pointedly recalling the fate that befell his Brixton-based opponent in his 2015 loss to Joshua.

A brutal knockout saw Whyte counted out in the seventh round, but many boxing experts noted that the man known as the 'Body Snatcher' had, up to then, given Joshua one of his most difficult nights in the ring.

Since that courageous defeat, Whyte has emerged as one of the most significant names on the heavyweight scene by bludgeoning his way to an impressive series of victories that have seen him become one of the most feared men in the game.

Parker may have gone the distance with Joshua, but rarely troubled him in what became a one-sided unanimous points victory for the Londoner.

Whyte had previously teased Parker about his cautious approach to his much hyped showdown with Joshua in Cardiff last March.

"Against Joshua, I saw that he’s very cautious and likes to play it safe, he doesn’t like to take risks.

“So if I put him under enough pressure for him to take risks and fight out of his comfort zone, then I’ll tag him.”

It is certainly a fight neither man can afford to lose as they look to build momentum in a heavyweight scene that has suddenly began to reclaim its crown as the most exciting division in the sport.