Joseph Parker poised for Giants Boxing Club 10th anniversary

Heavyweight boxing champion Joseph Parker could be back in Hawke’s Bay this year, depending on plans for his next bout - possibly for the world title.

A 21-year-old Joseph Parker doing the rounds in Hastings as a fledgling professional. Now 33, his next date in Hawke's Bay depends what's happening in the ring with World title fights. Photo / NZME.

The 33-year-old Auckland-based Parker has been invited to the 10th anniversary celebration of Hawke’s Bay Youth Trust and the Giants Boxing Club it supports, but promoter David Higgins, of Duco Events, said that while Parker supports the club and would like to be there it will depend on the staging of his next engagement in the ring.

Higgins expects it won’t be any later than July, and says a visit to Hawke’s Bay would then depend on the recovery afterwards.

The World Boxing Organisation had last month ordered unified WBO, WBA and WBC heavyweight champion and Ukrainian boxer Oleksandr Usyk to defend his belts against WBO “interim” title holder Parker and complete arrangements within 30 days.

But it’s since been reported the WBO has received a petition for the Usyk fight to be picked up by British professional Daniel Dubois, whose viral infection put an end to a planned Dubois-Parker match in February.

A decision by the authority is yet to be made.

The Hastings anniversary will go ahead regardless, celebrating a decade since the foundation of the youth trust in 2015 to focus on boxing as a pathway to personal and community change and development, through the Giants Boxing Academy, founded by exercise trainer Craig McDougall.

Trust chair Ryan Schnell said Parker, who made his professional boxing debut in 2012, after successive New Zealand championships heavyweight title wins, is “coming to inspire momentum for the next 10 years for our youth”.

A range of Australian, Samoan and Giants boxers will have bouts during the celebrations at Mitre 10 Park, Hastings, on August 2.

“As a trust using the sport of boxing for human impact, we like to celebrate victories,” Schnell said.

“The celebration of 10 years of existence is especially important as our victories are not only about medals or belts, they are about changed lives and better futures.”

Doug Laing is a senior reporter based in Napier with Hawke’s Bay Today, and has 52 years of journalism experience, 42 of them in Hawke’s Bay, in news gathering, including breaking news, sports, local events, issues, and personalities.