10-26-2018, 11:13 PM
New Zealand's biggest fight since David Tua and Shane Cameron is getting closer
17:23, Oct 26 2018
Is New Zealand about to see its biggest boxing clash since David Tua and Shane Cameron?
It won't come this year but Joseph Parker (24-2) and Junior Fa (15-0) could deliver one of the most enticing domestic sporting contests of 2019.
Fa's manager Mark Keddell has come out swinging in the lead up to Fa turning out on Parker's undercard in Christchurch.
Parker, the former WBO heavyweight champion of the world, will return from back-to-back losses when he fights at Horncastle Arena on December 15 against unheralded American-based Mexican Alexander Flores.
Fa, the undefeated Kiwi heavyweight prospect who is best known for twice beating Parker in the amateurs, will take on little-known Argentine Rogelio Omar Rossi (20-6-1).
If Junior Fa can impress against Rogelio Omar Rossi he will move much closer to a domestic fight against Joseph Parker.
By comparison, Joseph Parker fought Auckland born Australian Kali Meehan in his 16th fight. A contest Parker won via a third-round stoppage.
Keddell believes an impressive display from Fa would put him on a collision course with Parker.
"Junior is going to show the world what he can do and serve notice to Joseph Parker that he is coming for him," Keddell said.
"He's beaten him before and he will beat him again."
The build-up to Tua's second round knock-out of Shane Cameron captivated the nation back in 2009 and a Parker verses Fa fight has the potential to carry similar hype.
Joseph Parker is open to fighting Junior Fa in the near future.
Fa, who also lost to Parker twice in the amateurs, is currently in the United States for sparring with WBC World Champion Deontay Wilder as the American prepares for his title defence against former World Champion Tyson Fury in Los Angeles on December 1.
Fa is ranked No. 10 in the WBO rankings courtesy of the Oriental belt he picked up in an unconvincing points victory over an outsized and outclassed Luis Pascual in Auckland back in June.
In Fa's last five fights, the first round knock out of American Fred Latham has been the only impressive performance but his team have put that down to illness and injury.
Due to his losses against undefeated heavyweight kingpin Anthony Joshua and the highly-rated Dillian Whyte, Parker has dropped out of the WBO's top 15 but a victory over Flores would likely see him reinstated.
David Tua's knock-out victory over Shane Cameron in 2009 seemingly captured the imagination of the entire country.
"Joseph has done incredibly well and everyone has a huge amount of respect for him. But there are holes in his game. Everyone can see that," Keddell said.
"When the time is right, Junior will expose those holes. But for now he is concentrating on the jobs in hand – testing himself against the most dangerous fighter on the planet [Wilder] - and then taking care of Rossi.
"We've got a couple of massive things in the pipeline for Junior. When they are done we'll turn our attention to Joseph Parker," Keddell said.
Parker is open to the Fa fight.
"We did have a rivalry as amateurs but a lot has changed since then," Parker said.
Junior Fa is currently in the United States sparring WBC World Champion Deontay Wilder.
"As I've always said, I'll fight whoever my team put in front of me."
Parker's promoter David Higgins said Fa needs to impress against Omar Rossi to warrant a crack at Parker.
"If Junior can prove he is worthy of a shot at Joseph then he'll get his shot. He's not quite there yet, but he's also not that far off.
"Junior is hugely talented but he has blown hot and cold as a professional fighter.
"He's now ranked 10 by the WBO so let's see if he can justify that ranking," Higgins said.
Omar Rossi has only fought outside of Argentina three times and on each excursion has been knocked out.
The biggest fight of his career was an unsuccessful challenge for the WBO World Cruiserweight title against Marco Huck way back in 2011.
Huck dropped Omar Rossi three times before knocking him out in the sixth round.
Omar Rossi has not fought in more than a year but did have four fights in 2017. He was knocked out by unbeaten heavyweight contender Junlong Zhang in the opening round and in the second round by cruiserweight contender Aleksei Papin.
His two wins in 2017 came against Argentine journeymen.
Stuff
17:23, Oct 26 2018
Is New Zealand about to see its biggest boxing clash since David Tua and Shane Cameron?
It won't come this year but Joseph Parker (24-2) and Junior Fa (15-0) could deliver one of the most enticing domestic sporting contests of 2019.
Fa's manager Mark Keddell has come out swinging in the lead up to Fa turning out on Parker's undercard in Christchurch.
Parker, the former WBO heavyweight champion of the world, will return from back-to-back losses when he fights at Horncastle Arena on December 15 against unheralded American-based Mexican Alexander Flores.
Fa, the undefeated Kiwi heavyweight prospect who is best known for twice beating Parker in the amateurs, will take on little-known Argentine Rogelio Omar Rossi (20-6-1).
If Junior Fa can impress against Rogelio Omar Rossi he will move much closer to a domestic fight against Joseph Parker.
By comparison, Joseph Parker fought Auckland born Australian Kali Meehan in his 16th fight. A contest Parker won via a third-round stoppage.
Keddell believes an impressive display from Fa would put him on a collision course with Parker.
"Junior is going to show the world what he can do and serve notice to Joseph Parker that he is coming for him," Keddell said.
"He's beaten him before and he will beat him again."
The build-up to Tua's second round knock-out of Shane Cameron captivated the nation back in 2009 and a Parker verses Fa fight has the potential to carry similar hype.
Joseph Parker is open to fighting Junior Fa in the near future.
Fa, who also lost to Parker twice in the amateurs, is currently in the United States for sparring with WBC World Champion Deontay Wilder as the American prepares for his title defence against former World Champion Tyson Fury in Los Angeles on December 1.
Fa is ranked No. 10 in the WBO rankings courtesy of the Oriental belt he picked up in an unconvincing points victory over an outsized and outclassed Luis Pascual in Auckland back in June.
In Fa's last five fights, the first round knock out of American Fred Latham has been the only impressive performance but his team have put that down to illness and injury.
Due to his losses against undefeated heavyweight kingpin Anthony Joshua and the highly-rated Dillian Whyte, Parker has dropped out of the WBO's top 15 but a victory over Flores would likely see him reinstated.
David Tua's knock-out victory over Shane Cameron in 2009 seemingly captured the imagination of the entire country.
"Joseph has done incredibly well and everyone has a huge amount of respect for him. But there are holes in his game. Everyone can see that," Keddell said.
"When the time is right, Junior will expose those holes. But for now he is concentrating on the jobs in hand – testing himself against the most dangerous fighter on the planet [Wilder] - and then taking care of Rossi.
"We've got a couple of massive things in the pipeline for Junior. When they are done we'll turn our attention to Joseph Parker," Keddell said.
Parker is open to the Fa fight.
"We did have a rivalry as amateurs but a lot has changed since then," Parker said.
Junior Fa is currently in the United States sparring WBC World Champion Deontay Wilder.
"As I've always said, I'll fight whoever my team put in front of me."
Parker's promoter David Higgins said Fa needs to impress against Omar Rossi to warrant a crack at Parker.
"If Junior can prove he is worthy of a shot at Joseph then he'll get his shot. He's not quite there yet, but he's also not that far off.
"Junior is hugely talented but he has blown hot and cold as a professional fighter.
"He's now ranked 10 by the WBO so let's see if he can justify that ranking," Higgins said.
Omar Rossi has only fought outside of Argentina three times and on each excursion has been knocked out.
The biggest fight of his career was an unsuccessful challenge for the WBO World Cruiserweight title against Marco Huck way back in 2011.
Huck dropped Omar Rossi three times before knocking him out in the sixth round.
Omar Rossi has not fought in more than a year but did have four fights in 2017. He was knocked out by unbeaten heavyweight contender Junlong Zhang in the opening round and in the second round by cruiserweight contender Aleksei Papin.
His two wins in 2017 came against Argentine journeymen.
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