Why Junior Fa is thanking Israel Adesanya ahead of Parker fight
Boxer touts mental gains from training with Israel Adesanya and Deontay Wilder, writes Duncan Johnstone.
Junior Fa is maintaining his focus, determined not to let distractions drain him ahead of his showdown with Joseph Parker in their New Zealand heavyweight blockbuster.
The 31- year- old has been around enough champions to work out a formula for discipline and success.
He has helped former WBC champion American Deontay Wilder as a sparring partner and worked with Israel Adesanya, developing the UFC middleweight champion’s boxing skills.
The quietly spoken Fa certainly doesn’t have the brash fight personality that Wilder and Adesanya exude. But he does like the way they can switch on and off, maintaining a professional attitude so central to their success.
At 19-0, Fa takes a major step up in opposition by confronting Parker. It will also be the biggest fight night of his life, and he doesn’t want that getting to him over what will be a demanding six weeks of buildup.
He cut a relaxed figure last week as the fighters and their trainers fronted the media to help build the hype for their December 12 bout.
‘‘I’m just enjoying everything that comes with it, trying not to get swallowed up with the things that don’t need too much of my attention,’’ Fa told the Sunday Star-Times.
‘‘I’m making sure that all of my meaningful attention is going to training because that’s where basically it needs to be.
‘‘All the remainder, media and interviews and that stuff . . . I’m just enjoying that.
‘‘I see it with the UFC boys at the gym, they get it all the time. So I’ve watched them go through it, I’ve watched Deontay Wilder go through it as well.
‘‘ I have seen it drain a lot of people. So I just want to focus my energy where it needs to be focused. I think I’ve got a big hand on that.’’
He’s thrilled to now have his time at the City Kickboxing Gym so famous for its UFC talent but also building a successful boxing stable under trainer Doug Viney that includes fellow unbeaten heavyweight Hemi Ahio.
There’s strong camaraderie amongst the fighters of mixed disciplines.
Adesanya will be a sparring partner for Fa when he returns
from Las Vegas where he is in the corner for New Zealand’s latest UFC hopeful, two-time King of the Ring champion Carlos Ulberg, who has a shot for glory on Dana White’s Contender Series.
Ulberg will also spar with Fa when he gets back from the US.
‘‘ Israel has turned down a chance to fight at the end of the year which would have meant the coaching staff would have had to be split up,’’ Fa explains.
‘‘So I’m grateful for him to step back and kind of let me have my time with the coaches.
‘‘It’s a very good team environment in the gym. Carlos is an exciting talent, he’s around Parker’s height, a very good fighter.’’
With Viney in charge of Fa’s boxing skills, fellow trainer Eugene Bareman will look at other areas to boost the fighter for this massive occasion.
‘‘ It’s a good mix,’’ Fa says of his coaches. ‘‘They all bring something different to the table. I think the best thing about it is there are no egos involved.’’
Viney backs that up and says preparing Fa will be a team effort that goes beyond the wise old heads in charge of the gym.
‘‘Me and Eugene are the coaches but all the boys are helping each other to get better. They are all working off each other.’’
He feels there is no need to reinvent Fa for this fight though he’s sure Adesanya’s skills can rub off on the boxer.
‘‘You can’t break something that isn’t broken,’’ Viney says of Fa. ‘‘Israel just brings his experience, a different look. And he can also add his speed to it. There is always something to be learnt from someone.’’
Viney plays down the psychological effects of the amateur tussles of Fa and Parker who share a 2-2 record with Fa winning the crucial fourth fight that ended Parker’s 2012 Olympic hopes.
‘‘It is always going to be in the back of their minds but right now you can’t dwell on the past. Everyone changes, we have just got to get better and move forward.’’