Boxing: Joseph Parker v Andy Ruiz Jr - the day the big show came to town

Today's official press conference featuring Joseph Parker (left) and Andy Ruiz Jr gave off an atmosphere of intent and quiet determination. Photo / Photosport

It is the event which finally ignited fight week and signified that there is a heavyweight world title on the line on Saturday after a relatively quiet build-up. Today's official press conference featuring Joseph Parker and Andy Ruiz Jr gave off an atmosphere of intent and quiet determination.

Both fighters smiled and shook hands before the traditional face-off. But earlier there was an edge. The New Zealander insisted he thrives on pressure, that he loves it, and the Mexican that he is being underestimated by Parker's supporters.

It started 40 minutes after the scheduled start time, as is tradition in the organised chaos of professional boxing. In this case it was due to welterweight Ali Funeka's late arrival.

In the meantime, the various fighters' entourages and media mingled in the confined environment of a downtown Auckland bar. Parker and Ruiz Jr arrived on time; Parker, in a three-piece suit and holding a pair of dark glasses, chatted casually. Ruiz Jr, in a hoodie and cap, perched on a stool beside his father and another supporter and waited patiently.

When Funeka, a tall Ghanian fighting Australian Jeff Horn in the main undercard fight, finally arrived he offered entertainment of his own by saying he wasn't necessarily focusing on Horn, more on a fight against Manny Pacquiao.

Promoter Bob Arum, who looks after Pacquiao, whom he described as "the senator from the Philippines", as well as Ruiz Jr, smiled benignly throughout. He celebrates his 85th birthday today and rarely has a man looked as comfortable in his surroundings as he did. He has seen and heard it all before.

Parker's promoter David Higgins started things off by saying of Parker's challenge for the vacant WBO heavyweight title at Vector Arena: "It's not just about winning it, we want to unify it and go after the other three [belts] and try to become the first undisputed heavyweight champion since Lennox Lewis."

Arum, who splits his time between Las Vegas and his home in Beverly Hills, had some advice: "I don't put money on fights, but I give Andy a hell of a shot to win the fight, yeah. The one thing I can tell everyone out here... is the best way to save money is to not bet on fights, really and truly."

There were no on-stage fireworks - the fighters say they are saving those for Saturday - but they appear primed.

"This is my chance, I didn't come all the way here to New Zealand to lose or anything like that," Ruiz Jr said.

"I know a lot of people are under-estimating me because of how I look or how I am.

"On December 10 I'm going to take that belt back to Mexico and the United States."

"I can promise you that we're not under-estimating Andy," Parker's trainer Kevin Barry said.

Ruiz Jr replied: "Barry says they're not underestimating me but a lot of people here are. That gives me more motivation."

"We're not underestimated Andy Ruiz. He's a great fighter and he's in shape... on December 10, like he said, there's going to be a lot of fireworks," Parker said, to applause.

He added, before the photos started - including one of him and Ruiz Jr's mother - "people say there's a lot of pressure, but I love pressure, when there's pressure I perform better".

"When the bell rings, that's when the switch goes on and we want to knock each other out."

The big show is here at last.