The Australian veteran has struck a placid tone throughout the pre-fight preparations, taking time to thank the people of Christchurch for welcoming him warmly. And while the pleasantries are unlikely to extend to tomorrow night, Parker wasn't exactly unleashing a torrent of trash talk today.
"We're two great guys who have trained the house down for this fight," he said. "You don't have to be a bad guy to be a fighter. We're two humbled guys who have prepared for tomorrow night and we're going to go out there and do our best."
Parker's motivation for the fight is unquestionable - he must win to maintain his tag as the mandatory challenger for the IBF world heavyweight title.
"We're in a great position now but there's a target on our back," he said. "Everyone we fight now wants what we have. But we've trained hard and we're motivated to keep it."
And Haumono, who says he wants to play the role of Rocky and cause an upset tomorrow night, certainly also appears driven, weighing in five kilograms lighter than his last fight.
His weight advantage will be countered by Parker's edge in height and reach, and despite his heavy favouritism, Parker was wary when asked about the stakes.
"This is boxing," he said. "If we don't get this right, we're not going to get our world title. So this is our world title fight."
*Kris Shannon is in Christchurch with assistance from Duco
