Boxing: Trimmer Parker happy with weight

Joseph Parker has shed about six kilograms for his heavyweight clash against Brian Minto tomorrow night. Photo / Sarah Ivey.

Joseph Parker has shed about six kilograms for his heavyweight clash against Brian Minto tomorrow night.

Parker today weighed in at 102.65kg, with American Minto tipping the scales at 95.05kg.
Trainer Kevin Barry said the plan was always for Parker to lose weight following his last victory over Marcelo Nascimento in April.

"For a mobile fighter like Brian Minto it was important for me after the fight in Germany to reduce Joseph's weight," Barry said. "He did a lot more road work, plyometrics and explosive movement in the build-up to this fight."

Parker, who also has a height and reach advantage over Minto, said: "I'm just ready to go. I'm calm, I'm relaxed, I've done all the hard work in the training camp with Kevin."

After the controversies of recent weeks in the build-up to the main event at Manukau's Vodafone Events Centre, today's weigh-in was a relatively tame affair, with those on the undercard showing more anger.

Chief among those were Dave "Brown Buttabean" Letele and Lopini Vatuvei, the protagonists of a corporate fight. The latter, the brother of Warriors wing Manu, has been offered a $10,000 bonus should he knock out Letele, who is on Duco's books. Letele weighed in at 168.20kg, with Vatuvei 114.40 kg.

New Zealander Robert Berridge also looked extremely keen to build on his knockout record, which stands at 19 from 25 fights, against Brazilian Rogerio Damasco in their light heavyweight clash. Both men weighed in at 78.45kg.