Boxing: All you need to know - Joseph Parker v Alexander Flores

Joseph Parker faces off against Alexander Flores. Photo / Photosport

Joseph Parker faces Mexican-American Alexander Flores in his first fight since two consecutive losses in the UK.

The Kiwi heavyweight hopes to chart his way back to the top of the division in a must-win bout, but faces a tricky opponent in Flores (17-1-1) who comes into the fight with an 80 per cent knockout rate.

Undefeated Kiwi heavyweight Junior Fa (15-0) also features on the card against Argentinian southpaw Rogelio Omar Rossi, while Warriors great Manu Vatuvei steps into the ring to face Brown Buttabean.

Here's what you need to know ahead of the event at Horncastle Arena in Christchurch.

Tale of the tape

Joseph Parker

Born: Auckland, NZ
Age: 26
Record: 24 wins, 2 losses
Weight: 109.25kg
Height: 1.93m

Alexander "the great" Flores

Born: California, USA
Age: 28
Record: 17 wins, 1 loss, 1 draw
Weight 107.95kg
Height: 1.93m

The pre-fight chatter

Parker weighed in a near career-best shape and will have a clear physical advantage over Flores. The pre-fight pose was relatively calm compared to the dramatic face-off between Parker and Dillian Whyte in July, where the pair touched foreheads and noses in a tense weigh-in in London.

However, there was still plenty of jabbing back and forth on the mics, with Flores saying he was going to stop Parker while complimenting New Zealand's beverages.

"I'm stopping Parker. This is not going to go 12 rounds. I love New Zealand, I love your guys' coffee. I have coffee here twice or three times a day," Flores said.

To which, Parker replied: "Alexander looks in great shape. He's confident and he's here to win, but unfortunately I don't think that's going to happen. He says he's going to knock me out, I say I'm going to knock him out. We'll see who's going to do the talking in the ring. For me, after I knock him out I'm going to buy him a coffee."

The undercard

Sam Watt (CHC, NZ) v Alastair Boyd (AKL, NZ)
Heavyweight |4 x 3 minute rounds

Michaela Jenkins (CHC, NZ) v Megyn McLennan (CHC, NZ)
PRO Box NZ Womans Welterweight Championship | 6 x 2 minute rounds

Adrian Taihia (AKL, NZ) v Andrei Mikhailovich (AKL, NZ)
Catchweight | 6 x 3 minute rounds

Brown Buttabean (AKL, NZ) v Manu Vatuvei (AKL, NZ)
Heavyweight |4 x 3 minute rounds

David Light (AKL, NZ) v Lance Bryant (PALM, NZ)
Cruiserweight |6 x 3 minute rounds

Bowyn Morgan (NZ) v Sebastian Singh (FIJI)
PRO Box Pacific Welterweight Championship | 8 x 3 minute rounds

Junior Fa (NZ) v Rogelio Omar Rossi (ARG)
WBO Oriental Heavyweight Belt |10 x 3 minute rounds

Main Event: Joseph Parker (NZ) v Alexander Flores (USA)
International Heavyweight Contest | 12 x 3 minute rounds

How to watch

The fight is live on PPV on Sky Arena for $39.95. The Herald will also be live blogging the fight on nzherald.co.nz/sport. The undercard fights start from 7.30pm, with the main event not likely to kickoff until sometime after 10pm.