Joseph Parker's heart-warming commitment to man with Down syndrome

Nathan Keil, centre, has been made a full-time member of world champion boxer Joseph Parker's pre-fight entourage.

World boxing champion Joseph Parker says a young Samoan man with Down Syndrome will be part of his ring walk for the rest of his heavyweight career.

Nathan Keil led Parker into the ring last weekend, flanked by two of the fighter's uncles who have become regulars in Parker's pre-fight entrance. The scene saw Keil take centre stage ahead of Parker's titanic WBO title fight showdown against Andy Ruiz Jr at Vector Arena.

After meeting Keil in Samoa just over a year ago through his father - Samoan TV station owner and former government Minister Hans Joachim "Joe" Keil - Parker says he and the Keil's have become great friends.

Parker now looks on 31-year-old Keil as a key member of "Team Parker."

"Nathan enjoys it. After the fight he tells me that he's thankful and that he loves me. For me that's really special," Parker told the Herald on Sunday. "He's definitely a good friend of mine."

"[With my two uncles], these are the three that will be walking me to the ring from now on, for the rest of my career."

Keil, who lives in Lotopa near Apia, has previously also walked David Tua into the ring - and staggeringly, is also connected to wrestler-turned Holly wood movie star Dwayne Johnson, otherwise known as "The Rock".

"When The Rock came to Samoa, Nathan got on stage and started dancing with him," Joe Keil said. "He ended up taking Nathan's hand and holding it in the air, it was amazing to watch."

Joe, and Nathan's mother, Celine, say they are incredibly proud of their son, but also of Tua and Parker for helping promote awareness for people with special needs.

"Folks with special needs see Nathan walking in with these famous people and they can rejoice that one of their own can be included with 'normal' and well-known people. Nathan does not think he is different from anyone - although he does recognise his own kind and he will always say 'like me'," Celine said.

"He loves the limelight but he also loves Joseph because he treats him like an equal.

"The public awareness for young people with special needs is huge and priceless."

Celine said her son and world champion Parker, 24, have become like brothers.

"Nathan loves it that Joseph is a humble person - that he does not think he is above anyone much less Nathan. He is like an older brother, even though Nathan is older in years being 31," she said.

Celine said that when her son was born, she struggled to imagine what life would be like. But even though Nathan faces daily struggles, she could not be more impressed with how he handles life.

"When Nathan was born, I could only see a lifetime sentence of being tied down with a handicapped child. I could never have envisioned where we are today with Nathan," she said.

"I have been a stay-at-home mother since Nathan was born. The first few years were very hard with all his illnesses and being very hyperactive child. The older Nathan got, the more calm he was and now I can go out and leave him at home without anyone to baby-sit him.

"He knows not to touch the stove or anything that might be dangerous. He just watches TV or plays on his iPad or doodles on his stack of notebooks and papers."

Joe said Nathan is a "blessing on this family, who brings light and love into our house."