Joseph Parker

[diehard]

Kali Meehan claims his son Willis hits harder than NZ boxing hope Joseph Parker

MARTIN DE RUYTER/FAIRFAX NZ

Professional heavyweights Kali Meehan and son Willis Meehan will feature on the same card in west Auckland next week.

Kali Meehan claims his son has a bigger punch than Joseph Parker.

That's quite a statement as the veteran boxer gets set to take on New Zealand's rising heavyweight in west Auckland next week with Parker boasting 13 knockouts in his 15 successive wins.

Meehan, never one for trash talk, has been using his 20-year-old son Willis as his main sparring partner.

Willis is quite a specimen. He stands 1.95m and weighs more than 120kg. He has ditched a promising rugby league career to concentrate on boxing.

The former Australian super-heavyweight amateur champion will look to improve his fledging professional career on the undercard to his father's fight with Parker.

READ MORE: Cameron: Why Parker beats Meehan

Kali Meehan believes his son has provided him with an ideal buildup, presenting power and movement in the training ring that are among Parker's assets.

"He's a big, hard guy who I believe hits harder than Joseph," Meehan said of Willis, adding, "he's harder to hit, he's very evasive."

Meehan hasn't fought since systematically dismantling Shane Cameron over 10 rounds in Auckland last November, a fight that ended Cameron's career.

Inactivity should count against a 45-year-old but the wily Meehan is a meticulous planner who prides himself on his preparation and physical appearance in the ring.

"It's been about a year off. That's not perfect but I've had around 80 rounds of sparring, hard sparring. I feel I will be ready on the night, I'm feeling good."

Meehan had a stunning 2014, winning the inaugural Super 8 tournament in west Auckland and then out-gunning Cameron in results that earned him some overdue respect in New Zealand.

BETTER SHAPE

He's thrilled to get another opportunity in New Zealand and believes he's in better shape than when he entered the ring against Cameron.

"I'm much better now and I also have those 10 rounds with Shane under my belt, too. Even though it's close to a year ago, it still helps," he said.

Born in Fiji and raised in west Auckland, Meehan took his game to Australia where he did enough to become an international force, fighting for the WBO title in 2004, losing a controversial split decision to Lamon Brewster.

Having applauded the ground-breaking work of Kiwi heavyweights Jimmy Peau and David Tua to ignite the Kiwi fight game, Meehan now gets a chance to face the fresh face of the New Zealand scene in Parker - and get a chance to measure the power of Parker against his son's.

- Stuff

[Boxingfan25]

This fight has me Genuinely worried. Kali Meehan is no mug and I hope I'm wrong but I can't help but think Jo may have bitten off more then he can chew. This is going to
Be one hell of a fight I can see both guys touching the canvas during the fight I just hope it's JP who comes out on top. Also have only seen a couple of Willis Meehans fights but gees he looks a great prospect and appears to have devastating power.

[diehard]

Parker will be too fast for Meehan, but Meehan will mug him at every opportunity. He also has a good jab and will make Parker pay if he doesn't get that jab back fast enough, or put his right hand up high.

Willis Meehan vs Izu would be a helluva fight.

[shamrock]

Bfan at least your post shows some balance. All things equal Jo should prevail. ALTHOUGH Kali has experience to pull an upset!!!! Kali has the experience and to me this is a signature fight fo Jo.

[diehard]

Hey Sham, what's this you said previously about all fights being defining fights, so no one fight is? Is a defining fight different from a signature fight?

And Sham, I'm balanced, although my wife may disagree. Yes, Kali has experience, but also age, like you and me. I just think Parker is fast enough to usually get in first with his punches. His problem is that Kali is big, and Parker won't be able to get away quick enough without getting tagged at least a few times. Meaning, let's see how he takes a punch. The one thing Kali won't have to worry about is the skip punch, as he's too tall. I can easily see this going to the cards. I know Kali has been stopped before by Danny Williams, and Travis Walker, but has he ever been down?

[Boxingfan25]

At the very least even if JP wins which I hope he does Kali Meehan will
Give him a good chin check. BTW who is Izu fighting?

[diehard]

Sparring partner reaches out to help Joseph Parker defy long shot in boxing bout

Polish-born Nigerian Izu Ugonoh has been helping fellow heavyweight Joseph Parker overcome the tyranny of distance against veteran Kali Meehan in Auckland next Thursday.

The value in welcoming Polish-born, Nigerian Izu Ugonoh into Joseph Parker's camp could be apparent when New Zealand's leading heavyweight tries to keep Kali Meehan's jab at arm's length.

A former kickboxing world champion turned heavyweight boxer, 28-year-old Ugonoh has potentially given Joseph the ideal leg up as he seeks to combat Auckland-born Meehan's long levers in Auckland next Thursday.

Parker has rarely faced an opponent with a superior reach during his unbeaten 15-fight professional career, but Australian-based veteran Meehan (42-5) fits that description with a 13cm advantage, according to the tale of the tape.

To compensate for Meehan's 206cm reach Parker has been sparring with close friend Ugonoh, who joined trainer Kevin Barry's Las Vegas-based operation a year ago.

Ugonoh, who is 13-0 and on the undercard to Parker and Meehan's main event has, according to Barry, the wingspan of an albatross - or in boxing dimensions, 213cm.

"It's been a great training camp," said Parker, before a shadow boxing session with Ugonoh in Christchurch on Wednesday.

"Izu's been great, the best sparring partner I've had. He's got a long reach as well, I know I've prepared well."

Parker, 23, had rarely been troubled since his professional debut in 2012, though Brazilian Marcelo Luiz Nascimento did pose some technical challenges until he succumbed to a seventh round TKO in Germany in April 2014.

"I had a bit of trouble with Nascimento's height and reach, trying to cut him off in the ring, but I've been able to learn what I did wrong against a tall opponent.

"With every camp Kevin's been teaching me the things I've been doing wrong and helped me improve. Kev's been focusing on me trying to work my way into someone with a long reach."

Parker said he would also rely on his speed and movement to tire the 45-year-old, though he did not expect Meehan to flag aerobically despite this being his first bout since he ended Shane Cameron's career with a unanimous decision last November.

"We've seen in the last fight he can go the 10 rounds and we've given him a lot of time to train hard and prepare for this fight," said Parker.

However, Barry thought the hard-hitting Parker's youth and conditioning would prove influential.

"Joe has phenomenal hand speed. He also very strong, he's got very young legs that will be used in this fight."

- Stuff

[shamrock]

Diehard, the word signature is the one I should have used..I dont believe in any of Jo's fights he has been matched evenly so to speak. Kali just might cause the exposure that we need to see.

[diehard]

Sham, I usually believe he's in over his head, at least with certain guys like Minto, Sherman Williams, Tupou. And he always comes away with a victory, sometimes in dramatic fashion. Same with Meehan. I don't know whether he's in over his head, or he wins easily. Lots of unknowns, and never sure when, if he'll get exposed.

[shamrock]

Can you imagine in the face of the hype here and abroad that Jo could be over his head with a 45yr old Die....?
If Kali were to get the win it would end Jo's run in the short term and might take a decade to resurface. Tua's career at this stage was electrifying because he was KOing people spectacularly in the heartland of boxing.