Parker '15 first fight
#1
Joseph Parker tipped as a real knockout by ESPN expert Dan Rafael

DUNCAN JOHNSTONE

ON THE UP: Joseph Parker is getting praise from all the right circles.

Heavyweight boxer Joseph Parker has been named one of the sport's rising stars and tagged as "the total package".

The 22-year-old has got a real admirer in ESPN's Dan Rafael, widely acknowledged as one the world's best boxing writers.

Rafael has listed Parker among his 20 rising stars and "one to watch" as well as nominating Parker's last win over Brazilian Irineu Beato Costa Jr for the knockout of the year award.

Parker won all five fights in a busy year where he took his unbeaten record to 12 victories and moved to No 10 with the WBA and No 12 with the WBO.

"The heavyweight division is in desperate need of new blood and Parker is one of the guys seemingly ready to deliver it," Rafael wrote.

"Already a popular attraction in his country, Parker (who has had two fights in the United States) looks like the total package so far with good size (6-foot-4, 230 pounds), big power and a good team behind him, including noted trainer Kevin Barry.

"In 2014, Parker was 5-0 with 4 KOs, including wins against veterans Brian Minto (TKO7) and Sherman Williams (W10). His fourth-round destruction of Irineu Beato Costa Jnr on December 6 was as brutal a knockout as you'll ever see."

Barry said recognition from ESPN was "a great achievement after two years as a pro".

Parker was one of only two heavyweights on the ESPN list. The other was unbeaten British 25-year-old Anthony Joshua, who won the 2012 Olympic super heavyweight gold medal and has taken his professional career to 10 wins, all by knockout.

Joshua and Parker appear to be on a collision course.

Parker promoters Duco Events have another busy schedule planned for Parker in 2015, hoping for a world title shot within two years. Parker's next opponent will be named next week.
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#2
Sorry Die- just stole your last article from the Costa thread- at the end it says Parkers next opponent will be announced next week... Anyone got any thoughts/ideas?
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#3
Not sure who the first fight will be, but guessing the second fight of 2015 will be a post-Fury-loss (feb 28) Christian Hammer... Offering a falling ex-contender another shot (a la Costa).... Who finally will have a reason to say yes....
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#4
I reckon either one of the American gatekeepers Malik Scott,Tony Thompson or Eddie Chambers. Or if its an opponent from this part of the world for ppv someone like Alex Leapii or even Kali Meehan.
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#5
All of those guys you mentioned, Craig, are too dangerous, with little reward and big risk.  He won't fight Leapai, as they are both Samoan.  If you look at who he's beaten of late, they have been aging journeymen or guys with puffed up records.  Hammer is a possibility, but if Fury beats him convincingly, there is little gain.  No, he needs, and will, fight someone in the top 15 like Costa, someone who he's sure he can beat but has little risk.  Thompson, Kali, Chambers, could beat him on any given night.  And for what?  Nope, I see him fighting someone like Costa, someone who's slow, easy to hit, but has some ranking.  It's what Cameron and Tua should have done when they were top 10.

Also, the guy has to agree to have Duco be the promoter, and for the fight not to be in Europe.  I would love for him to fight de Mori, Jennings, Martin, Glazkov (don't know too much about him), and how about Shannon Briggs?
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#6
Kauffman or De Mori would be the best options Sad
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#7
Costa was awful, he may have been top 15 (somehow) with one of the alphabets but in reality he wasn't really top 50. In all honesty maybe not even top /100. I agree he shouldn't be fighting top top guys this early but if there gonna charge 40 bucks ppv with a bunch of smurfs on the undercard people are gonna get p1ssed off pretty quick.
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#8
De Mori won't fight Parker.
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#9
(12-28-2014, 06:16 PM)diehard Wrote: All of those guys you mentioned, Craig, are too dangerous, with little reward and big risk.  He won't fight Leapai, as they are both Samoan.  If you look at who he's beaten of late, they have been aging journeymen or guys with puffed up records.  Hammer is a possibility, but if Fury beats him convincingly, there is little gain.  No, he needs, and will, fight someone in the top 15 like Costa, someone who he's sure he can beat but has little risk.  Thompson, Kali, Chambers, could beat him on any given night.  And for what?  Nope, I see him fighting someone like Costa, someone who's slow, easy to hit, but has some ranking.  It's what Cameron and Tua should have done when they were top 10.

Also, the guy has to agree to have Duco be the promoter, and for the fight not to be in Europe.  I would love for him to fight de Mori, Jennings, Martin, Glazkov (don't know too much about him), and how about Shannon Briggs?
I don't get why Samoan boxers won't fight each other. In south Auckland they don't seem to care.
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#10
In responding to your earlier post, finding legit opponents that can put bums on seats, or watching PPV, is the task for Duco.  So far, they've had name opponents like Minto and "The Tank", as well as Costa, who was ranked in the top 15 with only one loss, that can be hyped.  So Duco has to find top 15 opponents from here on in who are legit.  Mind you, they've sent out invites to heaps of top 10 fighters, so it's not like they aren't trying.

Truth be told, we just need to go along for the ride.  Parker is fighting frequently, and will be top 5 if he keeps winning by the end of the year.  Get on board the Parker Express.
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