The anticipated bout between Lupesoliai Laaulialemalietoa Joseph Parker and Junior Fa will take place on Friday 11 December at the 12,000 seat Spark Arena, located on Mahuhu Crescent, Parnell, Auckland, New Zealand.
Lupesoliai’s manager and Duco’s founder and Director David Higgins said they had worked hard to get the fight approved.
“Given the challenges facing major sporting events around the globe right now, getting this fight over the line is absolutely huge, and we are grateful to our partners Matchroom for their backing to make this happen” said Parker’s manager and Duco’s founder and Director David Higgins.
Parker has fought 165 rounds as a professional while Fa has 82 rounds under his belt. Fa is two years older at 30 and has a significant physical advantage – he’s 1.96m to Parker’s 1.93 but Fa has a 2.04m reach compared to Parker’s 1.93m. For their most recent fights Fa weighed in at 121kg while Parker was at 111kg.
Here are some facts about each fighter:
JOSEPH PARKER (New Zealand and Samoa)
· 28 years old
· 27 wins (21 KO) / 0 draws / 2 losses 72.4% KO
· Never been knocked out
· 6 foot 4 / 193cm tall / 193cm reach
· Former WBO World Heavyweight Champion
· Former WBO Oriental Heavyweight Champion
· Former WBO Africa Heavyweight Champion
· Former OPBF Heavyweight Champion
· Former New Zealand National Boxing Federations Heavyweight Champion
· Two-time Former New Zealand Heavyweight Amateur Champion
· Parker is ranked number 3 in WBO Heavyweight rankings
· Parker is New Zealand’s highest ranked Heavyweight
· Parker has beaten Fa twice before as an amateur
· Fought in front of record World Pay-per-view TV audience vs Joshua
· Fought live in front of 80,000 people vs Anthony Joshua in Cardiff
JUNIOR FA (New Zealand and Tonga)
· 31 years old
· 19 wins (10 KO) / 0 draws / 0 losses 52.63% KO
· Never been beaten
· 6 foot 5 / 196cm tall / 204cm reach
· Current WBO Oriental interim heavyweight Title Holder
· Former New Zealand Amateur Champion
· Former NZPBA Heavyweight Champion
· Bronze medallist Super Heavyweight division 2010 Commonwealth Games representing Tonga
· Over 100 rounds of sparring with Anthony Joshua and Deontay Wilder
· Narrow loss to Oleksandr Usyk in amateur division
· Number 12 ranked prospect in 2017 by ESPN over all divisions
· Fa is taller and has a longer reach
· Fa has never been beaten as a professional
· Fa has beaten Parker twice before as an amateur
· Fa is ranked number 6 in WBO Heavyweight rankings
