By the time he climbs through the ropes at Copper Box Arena on Saturday night, it will have been 371 days since the controversial defeat to Joshua Buatsi that altered the course of his life.

Parker thought he won that night in Manchester and so did many others. Crucially, however, two of the three judges believed Buatsi edged it 96-94. The Derby native has not fought since.

In a cruel twist of fate, both Parker and Buatsi will box on Saturday night. But, while Buatsi faces Willy Hutchinson for the WBC light heavyweight championship of the world in Manchester, Parker is up against the dangerous undefeated southpaw Umar Dzambekov in a Zuffa Boxing prelim a few hours before.

“It’s just weird how it has landed,” he says. “When they announced that fight for the world title I put up a post saying 'embarrassing' because Hutchinson pulled out on four days notice against me and the other one, Buatsi, I beat.

“It was obviously very frustrating and it felt like a kick in the teeth at first but now I just think it is what it is. You’ve got to take the ups and the downs at the same pace. I just have to focus on myself.”

Had the decision gone his way last November, Parker’s 2026 would have looked incredibly different. Instead, his contract with Queensberry Promotions expired in the summer and he has worked part-time on a building site to help ends meet at home.

He said: “It has been a bit frustrating because of the contract ending in June but I’ve been training throughout the whole year. I’ve been doing jobs with my brother on a building site, grafting, which has made me train harder, trust me, because I don’t want to be there full time.

“That has kept me busy and kept me up on the money. People might expect us to all be wealthy but definitely not, boxing is a broke man’s sport really. My brother is a plasterer so I reckon I’ve done about 40 days with him. I run before and then he picks up at about half seven and then I’m on until three or four.”

Those physically demanding shifts have kept his body fit and, most importantly, his mind busy during some of the most frustrating months of his career. At 32, and following stints with Sauerland and Queensberry, Parker (26-2, 18 KOs) is one British boxing’s elder statesmen now.

“I do feel like I’ve been around the block to be fair,” he says. “But physically I feel better than I ever have. Sometimes I look around the gym and I think ‘I was here when I was 13 years old and now I’m the oldest one here.’

“But it’s not like I’m 40 yet, I’m still early 30s and I feel like I’m coming into my prime. Saturday night is about making a statement and reminding people what I’m all about.”