‘They’ve copied our blueprint’ - the eerily similar rise of Junior Fa threatens Parker’s proud legacy
Joseph Parker’s trainer Kevin Barry claims Junior Fa’s handlers have ‘‘copied our blueprint’’ to manoeuvre their fighter into a powerful position in the heavyweight rankings.
Parker and his old amateur rival Fa fight in Auckland on December 11 — with plenty at stake with both ranked inside the WBO’s top six – Parker at No 3 and Fa at No 6 – and a win enhancing their claims for a world title shot.
It’s hard to argue against Barry’s claims on Fa’s steady rise. Turning professional four years after Parker, Fa has been handled carefully to manufacture an unbeaten record that will come under threat in this fight, his first clash against a worldclass opponent in former WBO champion Parker.
‘‘They’ve copied the blueprint of Joseph Parker,’’ Barry told the Sunday Star-Times from his quarantine hotel in Christchurch.
‘‘ If you look at the way we moved Joe the first four years, positioning him to get into an opportunity to fight for a world title ... this is the same for Fa.
‘‘When Joe was 19-0 we took a really big step up in class and put him in with Carlos Takam, who was 33-2.
‘‘That was for the No 1 position with the IBF. Joe was in a life- or- death fight with Takam and we knew how good Takam was, and we were able to come away with the win. That was the coming-out fight for Joseph Parker, being able to beat a world-class, respected guy like Carlos Takam.
‘‘Now we have Junior Fa four years later at 19-0, fighting Joseph Parker at 27-2 with 21 knockouts, world champion, defending the title twice, fought in front of some of the biggest crowds in the world like 80,000 in Cardiff to take Anthony Joshua the distance.
‘‘It has come full circle. This is now Junior Fa’s chance to step up. Everything is lined up for Junior Fa to have his best-ever fight.
‘‘ Is that best- ever fight good enough to beat the skills that Joe possesses? I don’t think so.
‘‘But it makes it a very, very interesting fight and one that we are taking very seriously, not only for the position that the winner will find himself in with the WBO — but also for the legacy of Joseph Parker. This fight means so much for New Zealand boxing.’’
Barry notes that Team Parker have also helped develop Fa, giving him undercard opportunities on three high- profile Parker cards in New Zealand.
Now he’s the main event. Fa can point to winning two of his four amateur fights against Parker with the latter victory ending Parker’s 2012 Olympic dreams and forcing him to turn pro.
‘‘Joe bitterly remembers that loss,’’ Barry said.
‘‘Winning a world title eclipsed that for him but for a long time, he was very disappointed to miss out on that Olympic experience, and Junior took that away from him.
‘‘Here we find ourselves eight years on in a very similar position, where the stakes could not be any higher for either guy.
‘‘ . . . he knows Joe, he’s watched Joe, he’s beaten Joe, I don’t think he will fear Joe.’’ Joseph Parker’s trainer Kevin Barry
‘‘ This is a life- changing fight for Junior Fa. If he can get up and do what he did in the amateurs against a guy like Joseph Parker, it will put him one fight away from fighting for the world title.
‘‘On the other hand, Joe badly wants the opportunity to once again fight for the heavyweight world title, and he knows that a slip-up here will put his career in tatters. There is a lot of similarity.’’
Barry maintains Parker’s class of opponents sets him apart from his Kiwi rival, something that will be in the minds of Fa’s team.
‘‘ Joe is a proven performer, he’s a big-time fighter and everyone has Joe in their top halfdozen,’’ Barry notes.
‘‘But the thing that Junior has is history – he knows Joe, he’s watched Joe, he’s beaten Joe, I don’t think he will fear Joe.
‘‘The stars have lined up for something special.’’