Rising heavyweight may fight in resort

Duco Events would like Joseph Parker to fight in Queenstown next year. PHOTO: BLAIR PATTINSON
Duco Events would like Joseph Parker to fight in Queenstown next year. PHOTO: BLAIR PATTINSON
Joseph Parker could fight in Queenstown next year.

That was the word from the rising heavyweight's camp when he shared some ring wisdom with a group of charity boxers in the resort this week.

The easygoing fighter has spent the past four days taking a well-earned break in Queenstown after his knock-out victory over Australian Bowie Tupou in Invercargill at the weekend.

Accompanied by his promoter, Duco Events boss David Higgins, Parker spent an hour on Tuesday evening with 20 amateurs who will don gloves for September's Thriller in the Chiller charity boxing event.

Mr Higgins said he was keen to stage a fight for the 23-year-old in the resort, possibly next year.

''We're looking at it - we want to move him around the country.''

Parker said his visit to Queenstown - his first - had included jet-boat and gondola rides, and he was keen to do a bungy jump.

The only activity his handlers had banned him from was skiing or snowboarding - because of the risk of injury.

The gym visit was arranged by Thriller director Simon Green, who bumped into the Parker camp in Invercargill at the weekend.

Parker told the novice pugilists to train hard, but reminded them to relax and enjoy the ''bucket list'' experience of fighting in front of a big crowd.

He recalled his own nerves before his first amateur fight, aged 12.

''I was fighting in front of people I didn't know, I wasn't sure how I'd perform on the night, and the kid opposite me was a lot bigger than I was.

''But when I got in there, I felt like I was at home.''

Needless to say, he won.

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