Joseph Parker and Junior Fa face off. Photo / Photosport
Joseph Parker and Junior Fa face off. Photo / Photosport
All you need to know ahead of Joseph Parker v Junior Fa on Saturday, February 27:
Joseph Parker has made his intentions clear about his game plan against Junior Fa on Saturday night: he wants to knock him out – and do it early.
Speaking at the press conference aheadof the heavyweight showdown at Spark Arena on February 27, Parker put his cards on the table and said he wants to knockout Fa within the first six rounds.
"There's no secret that going into a fight, a fighter wants a knockout. That's what I'm going to be looking for," Parker said. "I think that's what he's going to be looking for too. But I know that I possess the power to knock him out.
"That's my plan. That's what I want to do … [Round] one, two, three, four, five, six – I want to get him early."
Fa, on the other hand, chose to keep his game plan – at least outwardly – closer to his chest, but says he has the power to "take him down".
"I can beat him," Fa replied when asked if he can knock Parker out. "If I hurt him I'll take him down.
"I feel much better than my old self a few months ago. I'm feeling fully prepared for this fight. I feel like I'm peaking at the right time. I'm just feeling good. I'm getting excited ... I can't wait for the night."
"He can hit. I can move and I can dodge punches," Fa added, when asked about Parker's aggressive plan.
Joseph Parker and Junior Fa face off. Photo / Photosport
A point of contention within the Fa camp around the judges picked for the fight is resolved, said Fa's manager Mark Keddell.
"The Barry family is a very famous and successful Christchurch family and we just thought there's a couple of Auckland boys fighting so we should have Auckland judges," Keddell said in reference to Parker's trainer Kevin Barry. "We felt pretty strongly about that.
"We've negotiated it so that we feel like we have a fair deal moving forward and I think that's all being signed off as we speak ... We want a fair shake of it."
"We definitely didn't want Kevin's mate from the pub to be one of the judges. He was a contentious judge," quipped Fa's trainer Eugene Bareman.
Parker's manager David Higgins confirmed that both camps have reached an agreement around a new set of judges.
Ultimately, both fighters say they're at the top of their game and will put it all on the line on Saturday in what promises to be a thrilling fight.
"He has strengths, he has weaknesses. I have strengths, I have weaknesses," said Fa. "I feel like I can figure him out, I feel like we have a good plan that I can execute on the night to make sure that I come out on top."
"The good thing about the postponement is that we're both at 100 per cent now," Parker added. "He was able to take care of his health issues and I was able to take care of my elbows.
"There's no excuses. Come Saturday when we fight, we're both at 100 per cent and whoever wins is the best in New Zealand."
· Age: 29 · Height: 193cm / 6'4" · Reach: 198cm / 78" · Nationality: New Zealand / Samoa · Former WBO Heavyweight Champion · Rankings: WBO #3, IBF #6, WBC #7 · Has won his last three fights by KO · Of his 27 victories, he has won 21 by way of knockout · The only other person to defeat Andy Ruiz alongside Anthony Joshua · Has never been stopped
Junior Fa (19-0)
· Age: 31 · Height: 196cm / 6'5" · Reach: 204cm / 80.5" · Nationality: New Zealand / Tonga · Undefeated in 19 fights (10 KOs) · WBO Interim Oriental Heavyweight champion · 53 per cent KO rate · Ranked No. 5 by the WBO · Has only been down once in his professional career
Odds (TAB)
Joseph Parker: $1.12 Junior Fa: $6 Draw: $21
How to watch
Joseph Parker v Junior Fa is available exclusively via streaming on Spark Sport pay per view for $49.99. You don't need a Spark Sport subscription, just a one-off pay per view pass. The broadcast starts at 7.30pm.
