https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sMj3U0Vz4yM
Trusts Arena Auckland – Joseph Parker came out firing from the first round to break down and ultimately stop durable veteran and former world title challenger Kali Meehan early in the 3rd round of their scheduled 12 round fight to cap off a busy night of action.
When Joseph Parker walks into the gym you can clearly tell he’s been in beast mode. At 23 he is still clearly growing into his body while in the last 12 months the chest the lats and traps have become noticeably bigger. Parker has been posting up various clips on his social media accounts, performing a multiplicity of pull-ups and press-ups; his trainer Kevin Barry opting for the old school bodyweight drills of yesteryear as the favoured way to build his charge’s strength and conditioning.
The result? Parker now resembles something close to a tank, but reassuringly if his pad and heavy bag work are anything to go by, he hasn’t lost any of his speed.
Big hitting New Zealand heavyweight prospect Joseph Parker (15-0, 13ko) is keen to pay homage to his Samoan ancestry with a fight in the tiny Polynesian nation, hopefully next year, after his team visited both government officials and local business this month on a logistical scouting trip to get the idea off of the ground.
With a population of just 194,000, putting a fight on there would in essence be a logistical nightmare, involving the construction of a temporary international TV station, the transportation of tonnes of equipment and 27 dedicated personnel from NZ to help complete the exercise, though such is the belief in Parker and his burgeoning worldwide profile, the project is already ‘just beyond orange light status’ according to Duco Events boss David Higgins, who hopes to have a deal finalized next month.
Fast rising heavyweight contender Joseph Parker 15(13)-0 has just announced his next opponent as fellow countryman Kali Meehan 42(32)-5. Parker in keeping with the busy schedule laid down by his team last year is lining up the well respected Meehan as his 4th opponent of 2015 with another fight set to follow in December as well as a potential bout in Samoa tentatively pencilled in for late January next year.
Meehan an 18 year veteran and former world title challenger, who still commands a respectable Boxrec ranking of twenty nine, marks a jump in competition for Parker who will be looking to see if he can keep his recent impressive knockout streak going.
Invercargill New Zealand, 7th ranked WBO heavyweight Joseph Parker (15-0-0) absolutely annihilated 13th ranked WBO heavyweight Bowie Tupou (25-4-0). Tupou came out of his corner looking to bull-rush Parker, swinging looping overhand punches from the cheap seats in trying to land a big shot early. Parker stayed calm, worked at establishing his jab and as Tupou come boring in again he timed a perfectly leveraged short right hand that landed on the crown of Tupou’s head, sending Tupou crashing face first to the canvass in about as devastating a knockout as you will see. Over at 1:06 of the first round.
Big punching New Zealander Joseph Parker sent a further warning signal to the heavyweight division tonight, wiping out Bowie Tupou in a little over a minute in Invercargill with a stunning right hook up close that the Tonga born fighter simply didn’t see coming.
Tupou lay motionless, face down on the canvas for a few genuinely worrying moments before eventually being lifted to his feet. The 23 year old Parker improved to 15-0, 13 early with the 1st round victory – his 9th inside 3 rounds.
Saturday 1st of August, Invercargill New Zealand, upcoming Kiwi-Samoan heavyweight Joseph Parker (14-0-0) ranked 7th by the WBO fights WBO 13th ranked Australian heavyweight Bowie Tupou (25-3-0) in what is the highest ranked boxing match ever held in the country.
Joseph Parker has turned up in New Zealand from his Las Vegas base in outstanding fettle, and while Parker has never turned up to a fight out of condition he has presented himself for this fight in the shape of his career. His muscularly defined physique leading fans to think they are about to see something special from the regions premiere big man.
On the face value of Parker’s physical appearance it would appear he and coach Kevin Barry have gone to a whole new level in their pre-fight preparations.
Joseph Parker is back in town preparing to face hard hitting Tongan Bowie Tupou on August 1st at Stadium Southland, Invercargill. While comparisons are often odious it isn’t until our interview has concluded and we have reached the training gym that one begins to see the results of all the hard work Parker has been putting in with Kevin Barry over the past 24 months and the difference in how he now physically looks from the fleshy fresh faced rookie who began his tutelage with Barry back in 2013.
While always being a decent sized heavyweight, Parker’s physique now resembles that, to use the English vernacular, of a brick outhouse. The shoulders are noticeably broader, the chest and arms now filling out as Parker continues to grow into his frame. And just in case anyone is wondering, if watching him hit the mitts is any indication, he hasn’t lost any of his trademark speed.
Palmerston North, New Zealand, Saturday 13th of June rising heavyweight Joseph Parker 13 -0-0, 11 KOs) takes on German based Turk Yakup Saglam (34-3-0, 31 KOs).
Saglam on his first visit to New Zealand has passed off some lofty proclamations, first been that he gave Wladimir Klitschko so much so heat in sparring sessions the champ couldn’t handle it. Going as far as to say he had the champ ‘scared’ and after only two days of what was meant to be a two week sparring assignment his services were dispensed with.
Boxing is often referred to as ‘the hurt business’ and over time the sport has been littered with many casualties, oftentimes angry young men whose star burned brightly but then faded just as fast, the dark energy that propels them to the top inevitably proving unsustainable over the long term. Sitting down with Joseph Parker you sense none of that. Instead you find a young man at ease with himself and the environment around him.
Talk which starts with boxing soon moves on to family and friends, a subject that is never far from Joseph’s mind. But it is a deceptive energy because make no mistake; once the opening bell rings, as he has proven in recent fights, he is all business.
ESB: You must be excited to be back on home soil fighting in front of your family and friends. I understand that your parents have been able to watch you fight overseas as well?