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Parker to fight Alex Leapai will generate huge interest here..why not? Alex will give Parker a good showdown..lol

Joesph Parker back where it all began

JONATHAN CAMERON/FAIRFAX NZ

Joseph Parker is returning to the place where he first made his name as a boxer.

The Kiwi heavyweight will fight in Palmerston North on June 13 against a yet to be determined opponent, his second fight in Manawatu.

Parker, 23, said he was first recognised as an amateur at a show organised by Palmerston North's Billy Meehan in 2009.

In that fight, a young Parker beat Yamiko Chinula, from Christchurch, who was nine years older than Parker.

Six years later Parker is in Miami sparring with world champion Wladimir Klitschko in preparation for his next bout.

Having spent a week training with Klitschko, Parker said he has improved in a short space of time and is almost feeling like he could take on anyone.

"After this experience I just feel like I have more confidence in my ability," Parker said. "I feel more confident with myself just seeing him and how he works.

"I've taken a lot on board. I know I still need to improve a lot more things.

"When I get into the ring with someone a lot bigger than myself now, I've already been there with the best in the world, sparring."

At 1.98m and 112kg, the 39-year-old Klitschko has size on Parker, who is 1.93m and 103kg, so it has helped the Kiwi learn how to box someone bigger.

Before matching up, Parker thought there would be a big size difference, but it wasn't the case.

The Ukrainian is the WBA Super, WBO, IBF and IBO heavyweight champion and working with him has been an eye-opener.

"To be honest he's a beast," Parker said.

"The fitness that he has, I've never heard of anyone else that does the same amount of sparring sessions in a week."

Klitschko does 12 rounds of sparring, four times a week.

Parker said Klitschko was professional in everything he did; how he speaks, how he trains and how he treats people.

"I've been professional for two years now and Klitschko has for pretty much 19, 20 years. There's a big difference in experience."

Parker was anxious about getting in the ring with him at first and didn't know what to expect, but he feels more confident now.

Parker's promoters, Duco, are yet to find someone for Parker to face in the bout, but want Parker to step it up.

"I want to test myself in the ring. We're looking at an opponent to give us a big test.

"The fight is going to be in Palmerston North and I want to put on a good show."

He said they are taking the right steps to eventually be at the same level as Klitschko, once he is the same age.

Parker and his trainer Kevin Barry finish the camp next week, then have a six-week training camp in Las Vegas before returning to New Zealand.

Parker said he had already received a lot of support from people in Manawatu.

- Manawatu Standard

Just noticed over on boxrec forum, that Parker is 30th with WBC:

WBC

Heavy
1 .- Alexander Povetkin (Russia) SILVER
2 .- Mike Perez (Cuba/Ireland)
3 .- Tyson Fury (GB) EBU/BBBC
4 .- Vyacheslav Glazkov (Ukraine)
5 .- Bermane Stiverne (Haiti/Canada)
6 .- Lucas Browne (Australia)
7 .- Anthony Joshua (GB) INTL
8 .- Andy Ruiz (Mexico) NABF
9 .- Manuel Charr (Lebanon/Syria) BALTIC
10 .- Tony Thompson (US) AMERICA
11 .- Artur Szpilka (Poland)
12 .- Eric Molina (US)
13 .- Chris Arreola (US)
14 .- Carlos Takam (Cameroon)
15 .- Mark De Mori (Australia/Croatia)
16 .- Derek Chisora (GB)
17 .- Billy Wright (US) LATINO/FECARBOX
18 .- Kyotaro Fujimoto (Japan)
19 .- Shannon Briggs (US)
20 .- Steve Cunningham (US)
21 .- Denis Boytsov (Russia)
22 .- Erkan Teper (Germany)
23 .- Edmund Gerber (Germany) INTL SILVER
24 .- David Price (GB)
25 .- Charles Martin (US)
26 .- Amir Mansour (US)
27 .- Alexander Ustinov (Russia)
28 .- Mariusz Wach (Poland)
29 .- Malik Scott (US)
30 .- Joseph Parker (New Zealand)
31 .- Hughie Fury (GB)
32 .- Arnold Gjergjaj (Switzerland)
33 .- Marcin Rekowski (Poland)
34 .- Dominic Breazeale (US)
35 .- Herve Hubeaux (Belgium) YOUTH
36 .- Gerald Washington (US)
37 .- Derrick Rossy (US)
38 .- Eddie Chambers (US)
39 .- Ergun Mersin (Switzerland)
40 .- Zack Mwekassa (Congo) ABU
* NA = NOT AVAILABLE
Ruslan Chagaev (Uzbekistan/Germany) WBA Champion
Luis Ortiz (Cuba) * NA - Legal
Kubrat Pulev (Bulgaria) * NA - IBF
Fres Oquendo (P. Rico) * NA - WBA
Lateef Kayode (US) * NA - WBA
Bryant Jennings (US) * NA - WBA/WBO/IBF
Agit Kabayel (Turkey) * NA - Legal

So, doesn't necessarily have to shoot for the top, just pick someone on this list to make progress with WBC.....

Actually- what's the bet, that now he's been KOed out of the Boxcino competition, that WBO Asia Pacific beltholder, and current WBO#14, but sure to drop out of the rankings next month (post announcement) Razvan Cojanu is signed very quickly as Parkers next opponent...

I'd go after Briggs for the $$$, Duco would make a killing. Offer Briggs a quarter of a million, and watch PPV go thru the roof. Or, go after Glazkov for the rankings. Molina is also a good one. Stay away from Browne, Arreola, Meehan, Thompson, and of course, Wilder and Tyson Fury, at least for now.

...and don't worry about the alphabets. Beat a top ten guy in one of the alphabets, and you'll rise in another one or two.

You'd have to catch Briggs at a very weak moment. He doesn't seem to respond to outside offers- preferring to plot his own path...

Would love to get a sense of th NZ PPV numbers though- are they ever published? Obviously decent though, given SKY decided to set up their own product....

Interesting how Klit does 12 rounds 4 times weekly! That is a crazy number, I imagine after a couple weeks doing those numbers the guy is seriously sharp...... Which shows in his record at the top.

Eric Molina is 12th on that list. Makes sense they want to target him