08-29-2015, 12:08 PM
Barry's boy Joseph Parker set for trainer's homecoming in April
Dean Lonergan said he is 100% committed to Joseph Parker fighting in Christchurch at Horncastle Arena in April.
Heavyweight prospect Joseph Parker looks set to return to Christchurch in 2016.
Co-founder of Duco Events, Dean Lonergan has confirmed to Fairfax that talks are well advanced on Parker fighting at Horncastle Arena in April and he is confident it will go ahead.
Parker is undefeated in 15 fights and is widely regarded as one of the top five young prospects in the world hoping to step up against the aging stars of the heavyweight division.
Joseph Parker's trainer Kevin Barry has strong links to Christchurch.
Lonergan was in Christchurch on Thursday working through some of the detail and said April was looking "very positive".
"We've only had one day down there and already a lot of partners seem very keen to get on board and make this happen.
"Fundamentally it costs over a millon dollars every time Joseph Parker fights in New Zealand so we need a strong financial support base," Lonergan said.
"It's expensive to bring guys down here to fight Parker because they know there is a good chance they could get hurt so they want to be paid well," he said.
Parker's trainer Kevin Barry, has strong family ties in Christchurch and Lonergan said both Parker and Barry have expressed interest in fighting in Christchurch.
"Joseph is like Kevin's new boy and he wants to bring him back and show him off in front of his family and friends because he knows that he's something special," Lonergan said.
Duco have been wanting to fight Parker up and down New Zealand to grow his supporter base before he inevitably spends more time fighting at his Las Vegas base - known as the fight capital of the world.
Local fighters would benefit with Lonergan confirming Bowyn Morgan, who has been on the last three Duco cards, would play a major part on the undercard and Reece Papuni would be another definite starter.
"We really like both those guys, they are entertaining and it would be a great chance for them to fight in front of their home crowd."
"We want to get Joseph down there as its been a hot bed of activity for boxing over the last four or five years but it does come with challenges," Lonergan said.
It has been well documented that the Invercargill City Council, Venture Southland, Invercargill Licensing Trust and Community Trust of Southland put up $150,000 to get Parker to fight in the deep south earlier this month but Lonergan said any similar involvement in Christchurch was highly unlikely.
"The Christchurch City Council are still facing challengers on the back of the earthquakes so understandably they are not in a position to jump on board to that kind of extent," he said.
Talk of an opponent for Christchurch is a long way off. Parker is scheduled to fight Kali Meehan in October and is likely to have two more bouts before Christchurch - one of which will be Samoa early in 2016.
If the April event goes ahead it will be a far cry from Parker's only other fight in Christchurch as a professional when he knocked out Dontay Pati in one round at the Hornby Working Men's Club in February 2013.
It was Parker's fourth professional fight and he was not aligned with Duco or Barry.
Dean Lonergan said he is 100% committed to Joseph Parker fighting in Christchurch at Horncastle Arena in April.
Heavyweight prospect Joseph Parker looks set to return to Christchurch in 2016.
Co-founder of Duco Events, Dean Lonergan has confirmed to Fairfax that talks are well advanced on Parker fighting at Horncastle Arena in April and he is confident it will go ahead.
Parker is undefeated in 15 fights and is widely regarded as one of the top five young prospects in the world hoping to step up against the aging stars of the heavyweight division.
Joseph Parker's trainer Kevin Barry has strong links to Christchurch.
Lonergan was in Christchurch on Thursday working through some of the detail and said April was looking "very positive".
"We've only had one day down there and already a lot of partners seem very keen to get on board and make this happen.
"Fundamentally it costs over a millon dollars every time Joseph Parker fights in New Zealand so we need a strong financial support base," Lonergan said.
"It's expensive to bring guys down here to fight Parker because they know there is a good chance they could get hurt so they want to be paid well," he said.
Parker's trainer Kevin Barry, has strong family ties in Christchurch and Lonergan said both Parker and Barry have expressed interest in fighting in Christchurch.
"Joseph is like Kevin's new boy and he wants to bring him back and show him off in front of his family and friends because he knows that he's something special," Lonergan said.
Duco have been wanting to fight Parker up and down New Zealand to grow his supporter base before he inevitably spends more time fighting at his Las Vegas base - known as the fight capital of the world.
Local fighters would benefit with Lonergan confirming Bowyn Morgan, who has been on the last three Duco cards, would play a major part on the undercard and Reece Papuni would be another definite starter.
"We really like both those guys, they are entertaining and it would be a great chance for them to fight in front of their home crowd."
"We want to get Joseph down there as its been a hot bed of activity for boxing over the last four or five years but it does come with challenges," Lonergan said.
It has been well documented that the Invercargill City Council, Venture Southland, Invercargill Licensing Trust and Community Trust of Southland put up $150,000 to get Parker to fight in the deep south earlier this month but Lonergan said any similar involvement in Christchurch was highly unlikely.
"The Christchurch City Council are still facing challengers on the back of the earthquakes so understandably they are not in a position to jump on board to that kind of extent," he said.
Talk of an opponent for Christchurch is a long way off. Parker is scheduled to fight Kali Meehan in October and is likely to have two more bouts before Christchurch - one of which will be Samoa early in 2016.
If the April event goes ahead it will be a far cry from Parker's only other fight in Christchurch as a professional when he knocked out Dontay Pati in one round at the Hornby Working Men's Club in February 2013.
It was Parker's fourth professional fight and he was not aligned with Duco or Barry.