Parker looks to the next fight after defeating Junior Fa

Joseph Parker forced to go the distance by Kiwi rival Junior Fa. Photo: PHOTOSPORT

Joseph Parkers unanimous points victory over Junior Fa Saturday night now casts to British veteran Dereck Chisora as rescheduling their cancelled fight in 2019 still looks on the cards.

After forcing the full distance by his former amateur rival in Auckland on Saturday night, Parker didn’t score the knockout win he was looking for. But Parker’s manager David Higgins said an already rumoured fight against former world title challenger Chisora remained most likely to come next.

“Who knows, Chisora might want the fight even more now.

“But they’re both household names in the UK, which is what got everyone interested in the first place. Plus, there’s a bit of unfinished business with the previous cancellation of their 2019 fight with Joseph’s spider bite.

“If that fights on the cards, our camp have all agreed we take that fight.”

When and where the fight would take place remained unclear.

Higgins, though, said it would probably be May at the earliest for them, with a trip to the UK the likely scenario.

For his part, Parker said he was keen to get back in the ring as soon as possible.

“We saw when we kept busy in those early years – 2014, 15 and 16 – everything flowed a lot better.

David Higgins, Joseph Parker and trainer Kevin Barry, Photo: PHOTOSPORT

“When you have time out of the ring, as a fighter you can do all the training and sparing and everything else but the fights are the most important part.”

Parker’s trainer Kevin Barry echoed that sentiment.

But he also gave plenty of credit to Fa and his coaching team.

“Now you know why these guys have fought four times [as amateurs] for two wins and two losses each. They’re pretty competitive.

“We said we thought we’d get to see the best Junior Fa, but no-one has ever seen this Junior Fa before.

“This is by far his best ever performance. By a country mile.”

While the result brought about Fa’s first loss in 20 professional fights, he was certainly upbeat about a number of aspects of his performance.

Action from the Joseph Parker vs Junior Fa Heavyweight bout last Saturday. Photo: PHOTOSPORT

The 31-year-old said although there was disappointment to lose, he felt he had proved plenty about his potential.

“I have made myself known to the world. I exposed Joseph. I felt great.

“People were talking about pressure going into the ring. I don’t think I looked like I was pressured or looked like I was out of place.

“I felt great going in there, felt great walking in. So close to winning it, but it is what it is.”

In the end, Fa’s coaching team believed there was little between the two fighters.

Eugene Bareman said they accept Fa was beaten by a better man on the night, but felt Parker’s superior experience in big bouts proved the difference.

“It was the work that Joseph did in between that isn’t necessarily effective in terms of hurting Junior but what it is effective in doing is separating the two.”