Parker learns from T
PAINFUL lessons learned from David Tua’s failed world heavyweight title challenge are fuelling Joseph Parker’s bid to go one step better.
Kevin Barry has opened up for the first time on the shortcomings of Tua’s preparations for his 2000 title fight with Lennox Lewis in Las Vegas.
He has ensured there’s no repeat as his new charge Parker enters the final phase of a busy programme leading into a challenge with IBF champion Anthony Joshua.
Barry admitted the move to put Tua on ice ahead of his clash with Lewis had backfired, and conceded there were match-making failings with none of his limited leadup fights against opponents who could replicate Lewis’ size and reach.
After beating Hasim Rahman in 1998 to gain the mandatory right to challenge Lewis, Tua fought just four times in two years and his lead-in fight against American journeyman Robert Daniels was a disaster. At 1.77m and with a reach of just 1.82m, Daniels gave Tua no hints to what was in store against the 1.96m Lewis, who used his massive 2.13m reach to keep the Kiwi at bay and earn a unanimous points decision.
There has been criticism of Parker’s busy scheduling from several quarters, with critics suggesting he has taken on too much, too quickly. Yet, now averaging around five fights a year, Parker’s schedule pales in comparison to the development years of many modern heavyweight champions.
And suggestions he is taking too much risk against the likes of 2.01m Russian Alexander Dimitrenko in Manukau next Saturday and a proposed clash with 2.03m Brit David Price in Manchester in November as he awaits his title shot are dismissed by Barry with the benefit of hindsight.
‘‘Life is full of curves and learning experiences,’’ Barry said, admitting Tua’s build-up was ‘‘not ideal preparation in terms of activity and the opponents put in front of him’’.
‘‘I was managing David at the time, I wasn’t the promoter. There were a lot of people who invested a lot of money in him and in hindsight, those sort of lead-in fights were safe fights for the fact of protecting your mandatory position. But they didn’t help him when he got in the ring with 6’ 5’’ Lennox Lewis.’’
When Barry agreed to take on Parker in 2013, he and promoters Duco Events agreed on an aggressive but planned approach towards a goal of the world title.
With that opportunity in sniffing distance that had only increased because of the size of the task in the form of the 1.98m Joshua and the super-sized owners of the other belts.
Barry wanted Parker working against XXL sparring partners and being kept busy in the ring against real opponents of imposing stature. They were necessary risks to try to PHOTOSPORT/FAIRFAX NZ snare one of sport’s greatest prizes.
‘‘This has never been about fighting for the heavyweight championship of the world, this has been about winning the heavyweight championship of the world and that’s why as a company we are prepared to roll the dice,’’ Barry said.
‘‘And there is a huge element of risk in these fights. Having secured that mandatory we could have sat Joe on a shelf for six or seven months until Anthony Joshua came out and said, ‘OK, now I’m going to take my mandatory’ and then rolled Joe out there and rolled the dice and hope Joe gets lucky.
‘‘But that doesn’t help us win the title. We want to give him every opportunity to be as competitive and prepared as we possibly can.’’
Barry felt Parker’s schedule had ‘‘paralleled’’ Joshua’s.
‘‘It’s obviously working for Joshua and we are hoping it’s going to work for Joe. Well, we know it’s working for Joe because it has got us to No 1 in the IBF and the WBO and he’s picked up seven regional belts.
‘‘We would never be in this position in 31⁄ years without that schedule.’’
Barry feels there are many benefits in keeping Parker busy – it minimises down-time, maintains weight control, creates a rhythm and allows constant development. It’s something Parker has bought into from day one.
Parker says he is energised by his schedule and finds fighting around five times a year ideal.
‘‘As a team we sit down and discuss what everyone is comfortable with. I feel like keeping busy is great for me, I love it. It gives me less time for distractions,’’ Parker said.
‘‘I enjoy training and putting in the work.’’