Justin Fortune: “Solomon Haumono can punch like a train” – confident of upsetting Joseph Parker

06/19/2016 James Slater

40-year-old Solomon Haumono will certainly be ruining a lot of big plans if he pulls off the upset and defeats top-ranked IBF heavyweight contender Joseph Parker when they meet next month, but Haumono’s trainer Justin Fortune is confident it can happen. Currently training the 24-2-2(21) giant in Los Angeles, Fortune – best known as a former co-trainer of superstar Manny Pacquiao but also a former heavyweight himself – told The Daily Telegraph that “Sol,” as he refers to Haumono, is “going to be completely different to anything he has ever shown in the past.”

continue

Joseph Parker visits Sonny Liston’s gravesite, speaks about the need to have “the right people around you”

06/17/2016 James Slater

Heavyweight great Mike Tyson used to visit the gravesite of the legendary Sonny Liston (and maybe still does) and, legend has it, Tyson would carry out imaginary conversations with the 1960s heavyweight king who was so mysterious in so many ways. Tyson found inspiration from his visits with Liston and another fighter who aims to become the next heavyweight ruler, in New Zealand’s Joseph Parker, has reportedly been paying homage to Liston at his final resting place just outside of Las Vegas.

continue

Team-Parker want big fight with David Haye in UK, say a win would make him a superstar in England

05/30/2016 James Slater

Joseph Parker’s promoter Deal Lonergan has revealed how he has been in talks with the UK’s Eddie Hearn about the idea of having Parker, the mandatory challenger for Anthony Joshua’s IBF belt, fighting on a Joshua under-card this November. The plan is to make Parker a big name in the UK, so as to make the upcoming Joshua-Parker fight that much bigger. Lonergan also spoke to The New Zealand Herald about his desire to match his unbeaten fighter with former champ David Haye.

continue

Joseph Parker set for quick return, fight with Solomon Haumono signed, to be officially announced today

05/24/201605/23/2016 James Slater

In what has to be looked at as a quite amazingly quick return to action for a world-ranked, indeed IBF mandatory heavyweight contender, New Zealand’s Joseph Parker will fight again in a couple of months. According to The New Zealand Herald, a Parker-Solomon Haumono fight was signed today, with Haumono due in Auckland later today for the official announcement of the July bout. In a day where most big-name heavyweights fight twice, maybe three times a year, Parker’s quick return – from his tough and demanding 12-round points win over Carlos Takam this past Saturday – shows how hungry the 24-year-old is.

continue

Anthony Joshua-Joseph Parker, now that’s a real fight

05/22/2016 James Slater

With all due respect to the Dominic Breazeales and the David Hayes of the world, Anthony Joshua, the unbeaten holder of the IBF heavyweight belt, will engage in what could arguably be looked at as the first real test of his career, certainly his reign, when he faces the man who has just become his mandatory challenger, unbeaten New Zealand star Joseph Parker.

continue

Joseph Parker out-points Carlos Takam, becomes IBF mandatory for Joshua

05/21/201605/21/2016 James Slater

Earlier today in New Zealand unbeaten heavyweight prospect Joseph Parker kept his perfect record and made the transition to genuine contender with a hard-fought 12-round unanimous decision over experienced Cameroonian Carlos Takam. Parker triumphed by scores of 116-112, 116-112 and 115-113. Now 19-0(16) the man from Auckland earned a shot at IBF heavyweight champ Anthony Joshua. Takam, who came to fight but was just not busy enough, falls to 33-3-1(25).

continue

Parker V Takam a war! Round by round!

05/21/201605/21/2016 Eugene Carnachan

Ringside, Vofafone, Vector Arena, Manukau, Auckland City. Pro Joseph Parker (18-0-0) crowd in unanimity. There maybe the odd Frenchman or Cameroonian out there supporting Carlos Takam (33-2-1) but not evident. A sea of Parker supporters from end to end. People out in droves to watch the home town hero, Parker having grown up a 10 minutes down the road.

Takam ring walk – he looks pumped both emotionally and physically. Compact man with a set of biceps like bowling balls.

continue

Video: Joseph Parker 234 vs. Carlos Takam 241

05/20/201605/20/2016 Bryce Wilson

If not exactly playing the outright bad guy Carlos Takam has presented himself during his various media obligations in Auckland, as sullen, withdrawn and taciturn. Takam’s answers to even the most routine of questions posed to him could best be described as monosyllabic, although this may due to his tenuous grasp of the English language, Takam clearly preferring that any dialogue and discourse be conducted in French.

continue

Joseph Parker’s trainer Kevin Barry twice turned down “risky” fight with Carlos Takam

05/15/201605/14/2016 James Slater

It is a sign of how dangerous a task unbeaten New Zealand heavyweight contender Joseph Parker faces a week today against Cameroonian Carlos Takam, that his trainer Kevin Barry twice turned a possible fight with Takam down, as he was “all risk and no reward.” This was a few months back, when Parker needed, in the words of Barry, who was speaking with Stuff.co.nz earlier this week, “more time to develop and mature.”

continue

Joseph Parker focused on Carlos Takam fight, his team already looking at potential blockbuster with Anthony Joshua

03/30/201603/30/2016 James Slater

Unbeaten New Zealand heavyweight Joseph Parker has his biggest career test on May 21st, when he will, in an IBF elimination bout, face experienced French-based Cameroon heavyweight Carlos Takam. The fight will go ahead in New Zealand, much to the delight of Parker and his team, but Takam is unlikely to be overly fazed, having boxed in both Russia and Canada during his pro career.

Takam, 33-2-1(25) is 35-years-old and he was knocked out by Alexander Povetkin four fights ago, but he has good results on his record, including a win over Tony Thompson (when Thompson still had way more to offer than he did in his recent loss to Luis Ortiz) and a draw with a then unbeaten Mike Perez. Takam has won three in a row against so-so opposition since the loss to Povetkin (his other defeat coming on points to Gregory Tony of France way bay back in 2009).

continue