Joseph Parker (boxer)

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Joseph Parker
Statistics
Real name Joseph Dennis Parker
Rated at Heavyweight
Height 1.93 m (6 ft 4 in)[1]
Reach 193 cm (76 in)
Nationality Samoan
Born (1992-01-09) 9 January 1992 (age 32)
South Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
Stance Orthodox
Boxing record
Total fights 19
Wins 19
Wins by KO 16
Losses 0
Website www.parkerboxing.com
Medal record
Men's amateur boxing
Representing  New Zealand
Youth Olympic Games
Silver medal – second place 2010 Singapore Super heavyweight
Youth World Championships
Bronze medal – third place 2010 Baku Super heavyweight

Lupesoliai La'auli Joseph Dennis Parker (born 9 January 1992) is a New Zealand born professional boxer. He currently holds the WBO Oriental and OPBF regional heavyweight titles.[1]

Parker was an accomplished amateur boxer, competing in the 2010 Commonwealth Games and narrowly missing qualification for the 2012 Summer Olympics before turning professional in May 2012.[2] He has an unbeaten record of 19 professional bouts.[3] Parker is currently ranked the WBO number 1, IBF number 4, WBC number 6, WBA number 11 and IBO number 9 heavyweight boxer in the world. He is also ranked number 9 in the world by independent boxing website BoxRec.

Early life

Joseph Parker was born in Auckland on 9 January 1992 to Dempsey and Sala Parker. He is of predominantly Samoan descent, but also has some English and German ancestry. Parker's Samoan ancestry roots go back to Faleula village on the main island of Upolu in Samoa where his mother hails from.[4] He was raised in Māngere. Parker took up boxing at the age eleven and pursued the sport while attending high school at Marcellin College. Parker is the elder brother of John Parker, an up-and-coming amateur boxer, and his sister Elizabeth. Their father, Dempsey Parker, was named after heavyweight champion Jack Dempsey.[5][6]

Amateur career

Parker had huge success during his amateur career being two time New Zealand Amateur Heavyweight Champion in 2010 and 2011 as well as being able to win several amateur tournaments and score a couple of notable wins on the international circuit. He won silver at the 2010 Summer Youth Olympics and 2010 Commonwealth Boxing Championships while also winning bronze at the 2010 AIBA Youth World Boxing Championships. Joseph also won gold at the Arafura Games, the China Open as well as the 50th Winner Tournament in Belgrade where he beat 2012 Olympian’s Erik Pfeifer and Johan Linde. He was awarded the New Zealand Pacific Junior sportsman of the year while still in the amateur ranks in 2011.[7]

Parker at age 18 competed for New Zealand in the super heavyweight category at the 2010 Commonwealth Games. He won his first fight by 14–7 over Canadian Didier Bence after scoring nine points in the final round.[8] Parker needed only to win his second fight, the quarter final, to pick up a medal but lost to Tariq Abdul Haqq. The fight was tied at 7–7 after Parker landed a late punch to tie up the scores. The judges, however, gave Abdul Haqq the win by a majority decision of three of the five judges.[9]

Professional career

Parker turned professional with Duco Events in Auckland under the tutelage of Sir Bob Jones.[10] As a professional, Parker has had 19 fights and won 16 by knock-out (including technical knock-outs and retirements).

Early Career

Parker vs. Garmonsway & Botha

On July 5, 2012 in Auckland, New Zealand's Convention Centre, Parker made his professional debut against New Zealander Dean Garmonsway at the 'Godfather of All Fight Nights' on the undercard of the Shane Cameron versus Monte Barrett title eliminator. The then twenty-year-old south Aucklander stepped into the professional ranks for the first time, Parker was hyped as New Zealand's most promising boxer since David Tua and had a lot to lose going into his professional debut. Garmonsway, a former rugby league star, playing for Waikato representative teams and, most recently, with the Wai-Coa-Bay Stallions had only three professional boxing bouts, amounting to two wins and one loss, also standing around 192 cm tall and weighing in roughly at 108 kg.[11] Parker smashed his opponent and with some thundering shots and won by technical knockout midway through the second round.[12]

After winning four more minor bouts in New Zealand and America, Parker agreed to fight South African Francois Botha. The fight led to Parker's manager, Sir Bob Jones, quitting over the suitability of pitching Joseph against Botha, especially after Botha's recent controversy-filled fight with Sonny Bill Williams in Australia.[13] He defeated Botha on June 13, 2013 by a second round knockout over the former four-time world heavyweight contender.[14]

Parker vs. Tatupu

Following his win over Botha, Parker extended his unbeaten professional record to seven wins on October 10, 2013 with a second-round knockout over Afa Tatupu at the Trusts Arena in Waitakere, Auckland. All the predictions before the fight were the two would unleash early in the contest, and they came true as Parker won the fight with a stunning second round blow. Parker secured the New Zealand National Boxing Federation title with an impressive win marred only by a serious cut he suffered in the opening round when the fighters clashed heads. The fight doctor considered ending the fight after the first round due to the state of the cut above the left eye but Parker's manager Kevin Barry pleaded for a second round and got it. His charge responded with a flurry of punches which lowered former champion Tatupu two minutes into the second round. Tatupu came out strong in the first round and threw some good shots, testing the chin of the then 21-year-old rising star. The two then got into a brawl as they traded punch for punch.[15]

Parker threw plenty at his opponent, showing his speed and power late in the first round but Tatupu was saved by the bell as he battled against the ropes. The punishment continued in the second round before Parker delivered the killer blow. It was an action-packed contest, with the then 33-year-old Tatupu opening in aggressive style and prompting a belligerent response from Parker after he was searching for a upset knockout win. The pair went toe-to-toe for much of the second round before Parker's superior speed and power made the difference.[16]

Career from 2014 to 2016

Parker vs. Nascimento, Minto & Williams

Parker started off 2014 after he defeated Brazilian Marcelo Luiz Nascimento for the interim Pan Asian Boxing Association heavyweight title on 26 April 2014, as the undercard of Wladimir Klitschko and Alex Leapai's heavyweight world title bout.

In his next bout he defeated 39-year-old defending American WBO Oriental heavyweight champion Brian Minto.[17] on 5 July 2014 in Auckland, New Zealand. Minto was knocked down in the fifth and seventh rounds and retired after the end of the seventh leaving Joseph winning his third title.[18]

Following an easy victory over another American Keith Thompson in August, Parker went on to outclass durable Bahamian 42-year-old Sherman Williams with a convincing unanimous decision.[19] After Williams losing, he continued to cause controversy after he kept attempting to snatch and grabb the microphone within the ring and issuing a re-match challenge against Parker. He claimed that he'd knock out Parker in the sixth round in a re-match. Parker quoted saying it's not up to him and we are fighters and lets leave it to the judges to decide.[20]

Parker vs. Costa Junior, Pettaway & Saglam

Parker continued his winning form after he knocked out top-ranked Brazilian and WBO Latino heavyweight champion Irineu Beato Costa Junior in December 2014,[21] before doing the same to unknown American 34-year-old Jason Pettaway in March 2015.[22] Joseph retained his Pan Asian Boxing Association and WBO Oriental heavyweight titles.

Following a three-week camp as sparring partner to World heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko in Florida, Parker announced to fight three more bouts in 2015, re-commencing in Palmerston North on 13 June where he defeated Turkish-born German fighter Yakup Saglam in an emphatic second round knockout.[23] Parker battered Saglam late in the first round, but stepped it up in the second with his big hits. Saglam had a massive right hook of his own, but couldn't land any, while Parker's speed and power were too much. Joseph maintained his unbeaten record, notching his fourteenth win and twelfth by knockout while also again retaining his two titles.[24]

Parker vs. Tupou, Meehan & Martz

Following the withdrawal of Japanese heavyweight champion Kyotaro Fujimoto, Parker beat Australian replacement Bowie Tupou on 1 August in Invercargill, New Zealand, by first round knockout. He then fought 45-year-old former World Title contender Kali Meehan (42 wins; 5 losses) on 15 October in Auckland. The New Zealand-born Australian Meehan earned his shot at the promising heavyweight after winning the Super 8 competition and beating Kiwi veteran Shane Cameron. Parker won the fight in the third round by technical knockout.

Parker's next two opponents were both named on 9 November 2015, with American 24-year-old Daniel Martz selected for 5 December 2015 in Hamilton, followed by southpaw Jason Bergman, also of the United States, on 23 January 2016 in Apia, Samoa.[25]

Parker had scored an emphatic first-round technical knockout win over Martz at the Fight For Life event. As expected, he wasted no time in flooring the 2.02 meter American at Claudelands Arena, for a super quick technical knockout victory. Parker took just one minute and 17 seconds to floor the big-talking Martz flat on his face with a big swinging right punch to the left-side of his head.[26]

Parker vs. Bergman

Parker notched his 18th consecutive win with an eighth round technical knockout of American Jason Bergman in Samoa. Far from the one or two round finishes of his more recent fights, Parker was made to work for his victory by a staunch and determined Bergman. The challenger offered very little on offense but displayed some impressive mettle in soldiering through a number of Parker onslaughts, the champion tenderising the body relentlessly in what proved to be the ideal workout against his first southpaw opponent. After twice sending Bergman to his knee in earlier rounds for the count, one particularly brutal liver shot crumbled the American, the referee having seen enough as he waved off the fight.[27]

IBF Heavyweight Eliminator

Parker vs. Takam & Haumono

On May 21, 2016, Parker stepped into the ring against the French-based Carlos Takam. Takam, from Cameroon, the then 35-year-old had never had a bout in the United States, but had faced the likes of Michael Grant and Mike Perez. Parker won in a unanimous decision, he came out on top after twelve rounds in front of a vocal home crowd at South Auckland's Vodafone Events Centre in New Zealand. The 116-112 (2) 115-113 win gave him the right to challenge for the IBF heavyweight title against current belt holder Anthony Joshua from England.[28]

The Joseph Parker versus Solomon Haumono fight contract was finally signed off on May, 23. Haumono's WBA Oceania heavyweight title and PABA heavyweight title belts will be on the line.[29]

Personal life

Parker goes by the high chief name of Lupesoliai La'auli.[30] Contrary to reports that the emerging star was bestowed a matai (chief) title, the village of Faleula revealed to him the name to bestow upon him the chiefly title of La'auli. The paramount chief of the village, Loau Keneti Sio, urged him to be a "strong man". He bestowed his blessings on Parker, reminding him that the bestowed title is a gift and a "blessing to him from the village". Loau said informing him that he has been chosen to be bestowed the title La'auli is a sign of respect. It is also a thank you from the village for what he has achieved for Samoa.[4]

Professional boxing record

19 fights, 19 wins (16 knockouts), 0 losses (0 knockouts)[1]
No. Result Record Opponent Type Round, time Date Location Notes
20 N/A N/A Australia Solomon Haumono N/A – (12) 2016-07-21 New Zealand Horncastle Arena, Christchurch, Canterbury For PABA & WBA Oceania Heavyweight titles.
19 Win 19–0 Cameroon Carlos Takam UD 12 2016-05-21 New Zealand Vodafone Events Centre, Manukau, Auckland IBF Heavyweight title final eliminator.
18 Win 18–0 United States Jason Bergman TKO 8 (12), 1:57 2016-01-23 Samoa Faleata Sports Complex, Apia, Tuamasaga Retained WBO Oriental Heavyweight title.
17 Win 17–0 United States Daniel Martz TKO 1 (12), 1:17 2015-12-05 New Zealand Claudelands Arena, Hamilton, Waikato Retained WBO Oriental Heavyweight title.
16 Win 16–0 Australia Kali Meehan TKO 3 (12), 1:00 2015-10-15 New Zealand The Trusts Arena, Henderson, Auckland Won vacant EPBC & vacant WBA Oceania Heavyweight titles.
Retained OPBF, PABA, WBO Africa & WBO Oriental Heavyweight titles.
15 Win 15–0 Australia Bowie Tupou KO 1 (12), 1:03 2015-08-01 New Zealand Stadium Southland, Invercargill, Southland Won WBO Africa & vacant OPBF Heavyweight titles.
Retained PABA & WBO Oriental Heavyweight titles.
14 Win 14–0 Germany Yakup Saglam TKO 2 (12), 0:45 2015-06-13 New Zealand Arena Manawatu, Palmerston North, Manawatu Retained PABA & WBO Oriental Heavyweight titles.
13 Win 13–0 United States Jason Pettaway TKO 4 (10), 0:48 2015-03-05 New Zealand Vodafone Events Centre, Manukau, Auckland Retained PABA & WBO Oriental Heavyweight titles.
12 Win 12–0 Brazil Irineu Beato Costa Junior KO 4 (12), 0:31 2014-12-06 New Zealand Claudelands Arena, Hamilton, Waikato Retained PABA & WBO Oriental Heavyweight titles.
11 Win 11–0 The Bahamas Sherman Williams UD 10 2014-10-16 New Zealand The Trusts Arena, Henderson, Auckland Retained PABA & WBO Oriental Heavyweight titles.
10 Win 10–0 United States Keith Thompson TKO 3 (6), 2:41 2014-08-09 United States Sands Casino Resort, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
9 Win 9–0 United States Brian Minto RTD 7 (10), 3:00 2014-07-05 New Zealand Vodafone Events Centre, Manukau, Auckland Won WBO Oriental Heavyweight title.
Retained PABA Heavyweight title.
8 Win 8–0 Brazil Marcelo Luiz Nascimento TKO 7 (10), 2:21 2014-04-26 Germany König Pilsener Arena, Oberhausen, North Rhine-Westphalia Won interim PABA Heavyweight title.
7 Win 7–0 New Zealand Afa Tatupu TKO 2 (10) 2013-10-10 New Zealand The Trusts Arena, Henderson, Auckland Won NZNBF Heavyweight title.
6 Win 6–0 South Africa Francois Botha TKO 2 (8), 2:32 2013-06-13 New Zealand The Trusts Arena, Henderson, Auckland
5 Win 5–0 New Zealand Brice Ritani-Coe UD 6 2013-05-16 United States Hyatt Regency Irvine, Irvine, California
4 Win 4–0 New Zealand Dontay Pati TKO 1 (6), 1:32 2013-02-28 New Zealand Hornby Working Men's Club, Christchurch, Canterbury
3 Win 3–0 New Zealand Richard Tutaki TKO 3 (6), 0:59 2012-12-15 New Zealand The Trusts Arena, Henderson, Auckland
2 Win 2–0 New Zealand Terry Tuteru KO 2 (4), 1:49 2012-11-09 New Zealand The Trusts Arena, Henderson, Auckland
1 Win 1–0 New Zealand Dean Garmonsway TKO 2 (6), 1:49 2012-07-05 New Zealand SkyCity Convention Centre, Auckland City, Auckland Professional debut

Titles in boxing

Regional/International Titles:

Honors and awards

References

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  14. ↑ [1][dead link]
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  27. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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  29. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  30. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  31. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  32. ↑ 32.0 32.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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External links

Achievements
Preceded by
Afa Tatupu
 NZNBF Heavyweight Champion
10 October 2013 – 6 October 2015
Vacated		 Vacant
Title next held by
Hemi Ahio
Vacant
Title last held by
Billy Wright		 PABA Heavyweight Interim Champion
26 April 2014 – 5 July 2014
Promoted		 Vacant
Title next held by
Solomon Haumono
Vacant
Title last held by
Ruslan Chagaev		 PABA Heavyweight Champion
5 July 2014 – 27 April 2016
Stripped		 Vacant
Title next held by
Solomon Haumono
Preceded by WBO Oriental Heavyweight Champion
5 July 2014 – present		 Incumbent
Vacant
Title last held by
Solomon Haumono		 OPBF Heavyweight Champion
1 August 2015 – present		 Incumbent
Preceded by
Bowie Tupou
 WBO Africa Heavyweight Champion
1 August 2015 – 1 February 2016
Vacated		 Vacant
Title next held by
Izu Ugonoh
New title WBA Oceania Heavyweight Champion
15 October 2015 – 4 April 2016
Vacated		 Vacant
Title next held by
Zhang Junlong
Vacant
Title last held by
Lucas Browne		 EPBC Heavyweight Champion
15 October 2015 – 8 April 2016
Vacated		 Vacant
Title next held by
Sergei Kuzmin
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