Auckland-born Tongan boxer, Junior Fa, wants to prove to the world he's better than former WBO World Champion Joseph Parker.
The highly-anticipated bout between the two Kiwi-Pasifika boxers has been confirmed for December 11th in Auckland.
Photo: Photosport Ltd 2020
Parker has a 27 win 2 loss record, while Fa is 19 and 0.
The Samoan and Tongan New Zealanders are all square at two wins a piece from their previous four meetings as amateurs.
Fa, the current WBO Oriental Interim Heavyweight title holder, said it's been a long-awaited fight.
"I really wanted this fight to be a big fight," said boxer, who won a bronze medal representing Tonga at the 2010 Commonwealth Games.
"I've wanted it for a long time but I was very honest with myself and I needed to work myself up so it's more of a respectable fight when we do fight."
Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Parker is ranked third in the WBO world rankings while Fa is ranked sixth. The winner is likely to improve their chances of a shot at the WBO belt.
While Fa has had plenty of exposure to former WBC Champion, Deontay Wilder, as a regular sparring partner and multiple rounds with two-time unified heavyweight Champion, Anthony Joshua, Fa admits Parker's resume is far more impressive.
He accepts any criticism on paper, but believes he's been better than his fellow heavyweight for a long time.
"Joseph Parker has fought great great champions in his time and I haven't really fought any household names just yet," he said.
"This is all the reason to train hard and to prove to everyone else that I am better than Joseph Parker and I've believed that for a long time."
"People don't really know boxing but they know Joseph Parker...so now's the right time to do it."
Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Parker thanked his opponent for signing the contract "finally," after the two camps had been haggling for months over fees and terms for the fight.
"I respect Junior a lot. He's a good fighter, but a lot has happened since the amateur days," he said.
"A lot has changed in the professional game but styles make fights so you never know and I'm looking forward to testing myself against the style he brings."
Parker's last fight was a win over American Shawndell Winters in February, while Fa last entered the ring almost a year ago in a win over American Devin Vargas in November 2019.
Photo: PHOTOSPORT
The pair acknowledged the impact Covid-19 has had on their careers, but Parker said it hadn't deterred his motivation to become champion of the world.
"Unfortunately Covid has affected everyone's plans...but I've been training very hard, we've been doing a lot of strength work and I've been keeping in shape."
"Even though I've been doing videos at home and having a lot of fun, I've been training every single day.
"My goal is to be the champion of the world or unified champion before I'm 35, so I'm treating this fight as a championship of the world."
Junior Fa trains in his driveway during the Covid-19 Level 4 lockdown. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Parker's promoter, David Higgins, said it made perfect sense to have the fight now.
"Right now they're both in their prime and they're both here in New Zealand in this pandemic," he said.
"The stakes are so high. On December 11, one guy might go onto a world title shot and the other one has to go to the bottom again and rebuild his career."
"There's a lot at stake physically health wise and monetarily."
Parker vs Fa is all on for 11 December. Photo: Photosport Ltd 2020
While the pair are fighting on opposite ends of the ring, they're both excited at the prospect of having two Kiwi Pasifika boxers from South Auckland representing on the world stage.
"It will be great for us to put on a good night and a great performance so the young boys and young girls coming up, in whichever sport they choose, they can see there is a way for us to live out our dreams. I'm sure they already do that with Parker already and David Tua," Fa explained.
Parker said sometimes South Auckland gets a bad wrap but it was exciting to know it would be known as the home of the Fight of the Century in nine weeks time.
"There's a reason why this is a big fight, it's because we're both ranked in the top 10, we're both from South Auckland, we both have history, so the time is right."