Five of the best from Parker
The Kiwi heavyweight needs to review the highlight reel to find a way forward for his stalled career.
Joseph Parker’s boxing comeback mission has stalled awkwardly. Just one fight in 2019, a stoppage against over-the-hill Australian slugger Alex Leapai, has frustrated Parker’s attempts to get back into the title talk.
An untimely spider bite put paid to his golden opportunity late in the year, forcing him to pull out of a highly anticipated fight with British heavyweight Dereck Chisora.
Now Parker is in a holding pattern again, hoping for fight early in 2020 to get the show back on the road.
In looking at what ways he can gain some momentum, the 27-year-old could do worse than cast his eye over what has made him a force in the division so far.
Here are what we see as the best five fights of his career.
5 – Frans Botha, 2nd round KO, Auckland, June 2013
There’s nothing like claiming a big scalp to get a bit of attention and a 21-year-old Parker had that in front of him in the shape of former IBF heavyweight champion Frans Botha who knew every trick in the book as he came to Auckland full of hype and vowing to deliver a lesson to ‘‘Baby Joseph’’.
Botha was willing to take some punishment to try to get his one-shot power away. But he walked into trouble with a right from Parker pinning him to the ropes and then unloading combinations that had Botha out on his feet before he even hit the canvas.
This was clinical and in a sport where knockout power is so valuable, it was invaluable evidence that Parker did have some grunt to go with his speed. Parker’s performance quickly had Botha becoming a fan and he was happy to talk up the young Kiwi’s potential. There was relief from trainer Kevin Barry, who was only just starting his relationship with Parker and was concerned this may be too big of a test, too soon.
4 – Kali Meehan, 3rd round TKO, Auckland, October 2015
Meehan was long in the tooth at this stage but it was a clever promotion putting a genuine class act of New Zealand boxing against the up-and-comer in Parker.
How would the 23-year-old Parker react? There was nothing but respect in the leadup to the fight, a trait that has endeared Parker to many fans around the world. But once the opening bell rang, Parker was ruthless. His dynamic hand speed and power destroyed the veteran.
After dominating the opening two rounds, Parker put away Meehan with a stunning combination one minute into the third round. He set it up with a straight left and finished it off with a powerful overhand right. This proved Parker was king of the roost in his area of the globe and increased his team’s desire to push on with his rapid development.
3 – Alexander Dimintrenko, 3rd round KO, Manukau, October 2016
Dimitrenko, all 2.01m of him, was brought down to school Parker on fighting taller opponents with the top of the division stacked with big fighters. Parker chopped down the German-based Russian in impressive fashion.
This was a brutal body assault that quickly wilted Dimitrenko who almost immediately looked like he didn’t want to be in the ring in South Auckland with a relentless SamoanKiwi.
There may have been a question mark over the final blow, apparently delivered while Dimitrenko was bending on a knee looking to get a break. But by then the result was inevitable. Parker’s power and new line of attack was impressive in what proved to be a dress rehearsal for a world title shot.
2 – Carlos Takam, unanimous points decision in IBF eliminator, Manukau, May 2016
Takam was regarded as a gatekeeper in the division, the sort of fighter you need to get past if you want to fight for a world title. Takam proved just that, providing Parker with easily the toughest test of his career to that point.
It was a slugfest, a lot of it coming via toeto-toe action with Takam’s durability clearly evident. Parker had won 16 of his 18 fights by way of stoppage before he fronted Takam and he soon realised he wasn’t going to remove the canny Cameroon fighter early. There was no panic from Parker, just a resoluteness to see out this bout via his traditional boxing strengths of movement and strategy.
In some even-looking rounds Parker used a deadly double jab to rack up points. Interestingly this hard-fought but deserved win put Parker in line to fight Anthony Joshua as the IBF’s mandatory challenger. But Team Parker would quickly duck down an unexpected side route to get their man his opportunity to fight for a belt. The win over Takam would prove hugely beneficial for what lay ahead.
1- Andy Ruiz Jr, majority points decision for WBO title, Auckland, December 2016
This was Parker’s defining fight, proof that he was indeed title material. The opportunity was gifted when troubled unified star Tyson Fury was stripped of his belts and Parker’s handlers at Duco Boxing cleverly manouevred to have the WBO’s world championship fight staged in Auckland.
Few gave Ruiz much chance when photographs started emerging of the rotund Mexican. But Parker’s trainer Kevin Barry knew of Ruiz’s potential danger and planned accordingly.
What played out was a patient and controlled performance by Parker. He withstood an early onslaught from the ridiculously fast hands of Ruiz and then used his own speed to take control through the middle of the fight and stormed home over the championship rounds, landing the better blows to take a decision many still believe was questionable.
With a sold out arena of 10,000 watching, Parker had proved he had the mental game for the big occasion to go with his boxing skills. Interestingly this was Parker’s fifth fight of the year, proving he thrived on staying busy. And just as interestingly, Ruiz would himself go on to be a surprise world champion with his 2019 defeat of Anthony Joshua, a result that further validated the stature of Parker among the increasingly competitive division’s elite.