Tua leads Parker’s Samoan superstars
Island nation’s hardhitters to be honoured at world title fight, writes Lee Umbers.
THE Tua-minator has spoken – and he’s right behind Joseph Parker’s bid to become a world champ.
David Tua, who fought for the world championship in 2000, heads a knockout parade of hardhitting Samoan superstars who are lining up to get in Parker’s corner ahead of the December 10 showdown for the WBOtitle.
And he’s quick to back the 24-year-old, who’s undefeated through a 21-fight pro career.
‘‘I support what he’s doing,’’ Tua said. ‘‘I think he’s doing a fantastic job.
‘‘He knows what’s at stake and I’m sure he’ll do well.’’
Plans are well under way for a fight-night tribute to Parker’s fellow Samoan-heritage sporting greats including Tua, Mark Hunt, Ray Sefo, James ‘‘Jimmy Thunder’’ Peau and Dwayne ‘‘The Rock’’ Johnson.
Duco Events co-owner David Higgins says the greats have also been invited as VIP guests to the fight at Auckland’s Vector Arena. ‘‘We’re just reaching out to them now. And Mark Hunt’s on board already,’’ he said.
Tua hopes to attend, saying he expected to know ‘‘hopefully next week some time’’.
Higgins said the film of the fighting sports superstars’ spectacular career highlights will be screened at Vector during the fight-night.
‘‘You’ve got the heavyweight championship of the world in New Zealand for the first time in history. A New Zealand-born boxer of Samoan descent could well win it,’’ he said.
‘‘Polynesian athletes are arguably the best in proportion to population in the world for contact sports. And for a tiny nation, there’s some very prominent and successful boxers and fighters. So we thought the right thing to do would be to pay tribute to some of those who have paved the way.’’
Tua lost on points to defending champion Lennox Lewis in 2000. Hunt is one of the heaviest hitters in MMAand was the winner of the 2001 K-1 World Grand Prix. Sefo is a six-time Muay Thai world champion and kickboxing legend. Peau won gold for New Zealand in the heavyweight division at the 1986 Commonwealth Games. Johnson, one of Hollywood’s biggest stars GETTY IMAGES, REUTERS and People magazine’s ‘‘Sexiest Man Alive’’, is a multiple-time pro wrestling world champion.
Higgins said it would ‘‘be a nice promotion for Samoa’’ if the stars’ highlights-video could be worked into the international broadcast.
‘‘It will go to more than 100 countries, and so the potential viewership stretches well into the hundreds of millions,’’ Higgins said.
‘‘And so for people watching around the world – whether you’re a businessman or investor in Switzerland or Germany, the States, Australia, around the world – what you will see is, Invest Samoa promotion. And promotion vignettes of various tourist attractions in Samoa will be put into the editorial time of the broadcast, including before the main event.
‘‘And then you have the Prime Minister of Samoa welcoming and opening the event.’’
Parker, who fights tough undefeated Mexican-American Andy Ruiz, arrived back in New Zealand on Friday from his Las Vegas base. Higgins said he was ‘‘in a very good headspace. He’s mentally tough, very mentally tough’’.