Heavyweight star Joseph Parker has lauded his upbringing as key to his success as the 23-year-old prepares to welcome Kali Meehan to Auckland in October.
It may have taken barely a minute for Joseph Parker to topple Bowie Tupou in Invercargill recently, but the ensuing hype surrounding the rising star of New Zealand boxing is somewhat longer in the making.
The 23-year-old combines being a formidable force in the ring with being humble and mild-mannered away from it - a habit that's stuck since a young age and one that he won't be shaking off any time soon.
Joseph Parker says he's excited about the prospect of squaring off against experienced pro Kali Meehan in October.
"My parents taught me good standards and I feel like I'm taking it to the boxing realm. My mum said when I was younger, 'son, when you win a fight, don't lift your hands up because that's the ref's job to lift your hands up'."
Parker took part in a series of exhibition bouts in Auckland on Monday as he welcomed the likes of sports broadcaster Hayley Holt and comedian Guy Williams into the ring.
Whether he was posing patiently for selfies with the adoring few that had gathered at Takutai Square or showing Holt how to tie her gloves properly, his bright smile and polite manners never faded.
"I think the boxing game is supposed to be a gentleman's sport. You've got to be humble, you've got to be nice to everyone. But when you're in the ring, that's the time to let your fists do the talking and that's the time for action."
That was certainly the case on August 1, when Parker dealt with the challenge of Tongan-born heavyweight Tupou before the fight had barely started.
Courtesy of an incisive knock-out blow, the win lifted Parker's professional record to 15-0 but the aftermath has been overshadowed by allegations that his opponent took a dive.
After celebrating a flawless - albeit brief - fight by spending a few days in Queenstown with his family last week, Parker admits the controversy removed some of the shine from an important victory.
"A lot of people don't really understand boxing. We prepared for 12 rounds and I was ready to go 12 rounds. Our coach said the punch that you're going to get him with is the punch he's not going to expect. So when he came in for a big punch I threw one back and it sort of countered him," Parker said.
"So I know a lot of people said he took a dive but, for me, with a Tongan and a Samoan, why would someone take a dive? [We're] proud people that would never do anything to sort of disrespect their country like that, so I don't really think about it. I know that everything we did was done in the right way. You know, I won, and I trained hard for it. I'm happy, my team's happy, and we're ready for the next challenge."
That challenge comes in the shape of veteran heavyweight Meehan on October 15.
Not only is the Australian-based Kiwi 22 years Parker's senior but edges him in the height department by an inch.
"I'm pretty excited for this new fight…with different opponents we need to bring in [different] sparring partners to practice, we need to work on different combinations to try and approach the style that he brings. With his height he's got long arms. I've seen a lot of his fights, he likes to throw a big bomb - big bombs that are straight punches, which is pretty powerful so that's something to look out for," Parker said.
"We gave him a lot of time to prepare, so both of us have got no excuses when we get in the ring. But what is going to give him an advantage, I think, is experience. He's been in the game for a long time."
Meehan comes into the fight boasting a 42-5 record so there is no doubting the size of the task that awaits the popular Parker when he returns from training in Las Vegas in two months' time.
The clash takes place at Auckland's Trusts Arena and although both fighters are Auckland-born, any sense of hometown advantage will be felt more firmly in Parker's corner.
"Bringing it back to Auckland, it's always great to come back and fight in front of my home town. I know there's a lot of support. It's a humbling feeling knowing there's a lot of support here in New Zealand. It makes me train harder and motivates me to keep pushing to represent our country and make us proud," Parker said.
- Stuff
It may have taken barely a minute for Joseph Parker to topple Bowie Tupou in Invercargill recently, but the ensuing hype surrounding the rising star of New Zealand boxing is somewhat longer in the making.
The 23-year-old combines being a formidable force in the ring with being humble and mild-mannered away from it - a habit that's stuck since a young age and one that he won't be shaking off any time soon.
Joseph Parker says he's excited about the prospect of squaring off against experienced pro Kali Meehan in October.
"My parents taught me good standards and I feel like I'm taking it to the boxing realm. My mum said when I was younger, 'son, when you win a fight, don't lift your hands up because that's the ref's job to lift your hands up'."
Parker took part in a series of exhibition bouts in Auckland on Monday as he welcomed the likes of sports broadcaster Hayley Holt and comedian Guy Williams into the ring.
Whether he was posing patiently for selfies with the adoring few that had gathered at Takutai Square or showing Holt how to tie her gloves properly, his bright smile and polite manners never faded.
"I think the boxing game is supposed to be a gentleman's sport. You've got to be humble, you've got to be nice to everyone. But when you're in the ring, that's the time to let your fists do the talking and that's the time for action."
That was certainly the case on August 1, when Parker dealt with the challenge of Tongan-born heavyweight Tupou before the fight had barely started.
Courtesy of an incisive knock-out blow, the win lifted Parker's professional record to 15-0 but the aftermath has been overshadowed by allegations that his opponent took a dive.
After celebrating a flawless - albeit brief - fight by spending a few days in Queenstown with his family last week, Parker admits the controversy removed some of the shine from an important victory.
"A lot of people don't really understand boxing. We prepared for 12 rounds and I was ready to go 12 rounds. Our coach said the punch that you're going to get him with is the punch he's not going to expect. So when he came in for a big punch I threw one back and it sort of countered him," Parker said.
"So I know a lot of people said he took a dive but, for me, with a Tongan and a Samoan, why would someone take a dive? [We're] proud people that would never do anything to sort of disrespect their country like that, so I don't really think about it. I know that everything we did was done in the right way. You know, I won, and I trained hard for it. I'm happy, my team's happy, and we're ready for the next challenge."
That challenge comes in the shape of veteran heavyweight Meehan on October 15.
Not only is the Australian-based Kiwi 22 years Parker's senior but edges him in the height department by an inch.
"I'm pretty excited for this new fight…with different opponents we need to bring in [different] sparring partners to practice, we need to work on different combinations to try and approach the style that he brings. With his height he's got long arms. I've seen a lot of his fights, he likes to throw a big bomb - big bombs that are straight punches, which is pretty powerful so that's something to look out for," Parker said.
"We gave him a lot of time to prepare, so both of us have got no excuses when we get in the ring. But what is going to give him an advantage, I think, is experience. He's been in the game for a long time."
Meehan comes into the fight boasting a 42-5 record so there is no doubting the size of the task that awaits the popular Parker when he returns from training in Las Vegas in two months' time.
The clash takes place at Auckland's Trusts Arena and although both fighters are Auckland-born, any sense of hometown advantage will be felt more firmly in Parker's corner.
"Bringing it back to Auckland, it's always great to come back and fight in front of my home town. I know there's a lot of support. It's a humbling feeling knowing there's a lot of support here in New Zealand. It makes me train harder and motivates me to keep pushing to represent our country and make us proud," Parker said.
- Stuff