Parker To Continue To Rise Up The Heavyweight Ranks

March 5th, Auckland, New Zealand rising heavyweight Joseph Parker goes head to head with once beaten American Jason Pettaway.

Pettaway 17-1-0 sports a handy resume, however on closer inspection only five of the opponents he’s faced to date have positive win-loss records.

In 2012 Pettaway took a big step up in fighting than undefeated Russian Magomed Abdusalamov. Early on Pettaway had moments, using his right hand to counter the aggressive southpaw. Unfortunately for Pettaway he didn’t have the power to win the respect of Abdusalamov, the Russian walking him down before stopping him by way of TKO in the 4th round.

Kevin Barry is currently coaching Las Vegas based (by way of New Zealand) heavyweight prospect Joseph Parker. However Joseph Parker isn’t the only talented heavyweight Barry is training, he also has 28 year old Polish heavyweight Izuagbe Ugonoh (10-0-0) on his training books, and he thinks Ugonoh like Parker has the potential to be a world class heavyweight.

Ugonoh has been refining his skills sparring the likes of Bermane Stiverne, and later this year he will accompany Parker and Barry to spar with heavyweight King pin Vladimir Klitschko as Klitschko’s prepares for his April bout with challenger Bryant Jennings. Kevin Barry talks about how he came across Ugonoh and his development as a fighter.

WBA (10) and WBO (11) ranked heavyweight Joseph Parker (12-0-0) is training for his next fight with American heavyweight Jason Pettaway (17-1-0). Parker takes time out of his training schedule to talk to us about his career to date, while also offering his thoughts on joining the Wladimir Klitschko camp later this year as a sparring partner for the man regarded as the best heavyweight on the planet.

Joe what’s the plan for you in 2015?

Looking forward to getting back in the ring after a good year last year and fighting someone with a different style.

KEVIN BARRY TALKS ABOUT TRAINING WORLD CLASS HEAVYWEIGHT JOSEPH PARKER: Kevin Barry is training rising heavyweight prospect Joseph Parker (12-0-0) at a privately owned boxing gym in the suburbs of Las Vegas. I spent the morning with Barry at this facility discussing how Parker is tracking for his next fight with Jason Pettaway, and his future plans for the young heavyweight.

Q; Explain the set-up of this training facility?

This is a privately owned gym facility that I use to train Joseph and another heavyweight Izu Ugonoh .It’s great having a facility where it’s only Joe and I. He’s also living with me and has become every bit a part of my family.

Great crowd, the corporate seats at ringside are full with the Auckland bourgeoisie out to watch the latest edition of New Zealand’s heavyweight hopefuls in Joseph Parker.

Parker at 22 years of age and Williams twenty years his senior at 42 years of age has the youthful zeal and fitness firmly on his side.

Parker sporting a record 10 (KO 9) – 0 and Williams at 36 (19)-13-2 has his comparative trainer wheels on in terms of experience, however experience won’t be the defining factor in this fight.

Tonight up and coming New Zealand heavyweight Joseph Parker takes on tough veteran Brian Minto (39-7) in Auckland City, New Zealand.

Minto, 39 years of age, last bout was against another New Zealand heavy Shane Cameron. Minto did a number on Cameron in simply outhustling and muscling him in consistently beating him to the punch. Cameron unable to make it out for the eighth round.

Parker (8-0) appears on the fast track to contender status as Duco his promotional team flag the usual potpourri of patsies in matching Parker with a solid journeyman like Minto.

In Newcastle, Australia last night Anthony Mundine (46 – 6) fought Ghanaian Joshua Clottey (38- 4) in the classical cross roads fight, the loser destined to fight local derbies as a competitive journeyman.

At stake was the WBA International Middleweight title.

Both fighters were in magnificent condition, Mundine at 38 years of age carried the advantage of being the physically bigger man, however from the outset Clottey the younger man by two years ignored that physical fact and fought as if he was.

Clottey started on the front foot, paying no dues to Mundines power or speed as he continually pressed forward throughout the first round, outpunching and most importantly out landing Mundine.

Brian Minto TKOs Shane Cameron

minto9757 Round by Round: Shane Cameron (29-3-0) V Brian Minto (38-7-0) – Trust Arena, Auckland, New Zealand

Shane Cameron hasn’t fought since his 2012 Cruiserweight title bout with Danny Green. Comparatively Brian Minto has fought three times in 2013 for two decision losses and a win. The pro-Cameron crowd know little of Brian Minto. Minto a relatively small heavy is a live dog given against a similarly sized heavy like Cameron. Minto has fought the far higher calibre of opponent and brings great application and heart to his game.

This fight for as long as it last could be a barn stormer given we have two heavyweights who like to exchange. Neither man will have to go looking for each other.

Minto ring walk: Minto is calm as a cucumber. Accompanied by his coach the home-country boy Kevin Barry.

Tua v Ustinov round by round – Ustinov Beats Tua

tua432323 Hamilton City, Claudelands Showgrounds: Ringside: Chants of Tua! Tua go up! The ring announcer gets an A plus for animation. Never quite seen or heard a ring announcer throw himself around the ring with so much vigour and enthusiasm in introducing fighters. Fair to say he is an excitable type of chap.

Alexander Ustinov ring walk: All you can really say about the man is he is one very big piece of humanity. His ring walk music of the Russian variety is music not often heard in this part of the world. He leaps the top rope of the ring with ease and that impressed the hell out of the crowd. At 6ft 8 and 139 kilograms (according to ring announcer) his immensity makes him a proposition for the sheer fact of his immensity – he carries no excess weight and appears in exceptional condition.

David Tua vs Alexander Ustinov on Nov 16

tua-ustinov (8) David Tua ( 52-4-2) and world ranked Alexander Ustinov (28-1) clash on Saturday 16th November at Mystery Creek, Hamilton, New Zealand.

David Tua whose latter career has been punctuated with weight problems had reportedly blown out to 348 pounds before starting to train for this fight.

Originally the pair were meant to meet on August 31st but a grade one calf tear sustained by Tua in training caused promoters to amend the fight to its current date.

The extra training time has served Tua well. Tua’s appearance in August is remarkably different to the physical constitution he is sporting in the lead up to this weekend’s fight.

Parker To Continue To Rise Up The Heavyweight Ranks

Heavyweight Watch: Izuagbe Ugonoh

Joseph Parker Q & A

Q & A: Kevin Barry

Joseph Parker vs Sherman Williams round by round

Joseph Parker stops Brian Minto

Clottey tops Mundine

Brian Minto TKOs Shane Cameron

Tua v Ustinov round by round – Ustinov Beats Tua

David Tua vs Alexander Ustinov on Nov 16