Joseph Parker on facing Solomon Haumono and “What’s-His-Name”

By Bryce Wilson

The pads get hit in a rhythmic fashion and the focus looks to be on point while the air is punctuated with laughter in between the dull thud of leather hitting leather. In short it’s a happy camp, but then it always is when Joseph Parker is training. With Izu Ugonoh returning to the team and Parker’s assignment with Carlos Takam now complete, securing his mandatory IBF challenger spot in the process, the energy in the room seems that little bit lighter. Not that Parker is taking his next assignment lightly. Solomon Haumono may be a heavy, heavy underdog but the one thing he can do is punch especially with a pulverizing overhand right, a shot that his team will have noted, other fighters have found a home for against Parker in the past. The sport is after all, littered with fights where heavier underdogs than Haumono have prevailed.

The recurring theme that comes back during the pad session is just how much fresher Parker feels with what has turned out to be a radically shorter camp than the one used to prepare for Takam, five weeks as opposed to twelve. So good has it been that trainer Kevin Barry rates it as just about the best five weeks he has ever had since Parker has been under his tutelage. It’s something that Joseph readily agrees with.

“Yeah it’s been a great camp. Short, but I feel super sharp and ready. I feel like this camp was a lot better than the previous one, I feel like my body adapts better to the shorter timeframes.”

The longer camp along with an elbow injury suffered during the fight is what has been identified for the patchy performance Parker put in against Takam, grinding out a tough, gruelling 12 round unanimous decision.

It was a fight where in spots Parker looked very good, controlling Takam from the centre of the ring with his piston-like double jab and at times much more vulnerable retreating to the ropes, hands often down and getting caught with right hands.

I asked Joseph what he took out of the fight, the good parts and the bad.

“Well firstly, I won the fight!” (Laughs) “But I thought I showed good character, I dug deep when I had to and showed people that I have the will to win. Obviously having my hands down wasn’t great, and in the middle rounds I simply lost concentration. To be honest I really can’t explain it. What I can say is I’m sure it won’t happen again.”

It was a real gut-check type of fight and one where Parker had to dig deep to pull out a win in a contest where he gave up ground in different stages of the fight and clearly lost rounds, something he’d never really experienced as a professional before. I ask him what goes on in the mind of a fighter during those types of moments? Where does the inner fortitude come from?

“It’s just the will to win really. Thinking about everything we’ve done in sparring and in camp while taking each round at a time and then going back to the corner to regroup and listen to my trainer. It meant a lot to me to win that fight, there was a lot riding on it and it also meant a lot to Takam as well obviously. I didn’t want to let myself down.”

We also talk about the tactics employed in the bout. I remind Joseph of his trainer Kevin Barry’s assertions pre-fight that they couldn’t afford to give up the middle zone to Takam whatever the cost, which was something that ended up happening, particularly during the middle rounds. Joseph readily agrees,

“Yes it was something I was aware of going into the fight, but it did happen and he did manage to catch me with some shots. We’ve had to sit down as a team and discuss it. I’ve only watched the fight once, that was enough, I already knew what I did wrong.”

Moving ahead and having now secured his mandatory challenge for the IBF title currently held by British sensation Anthony Joshua, Parker has been lined up to face Australian Solomon Haumono in what many perceive as an easy win and ‘keep busy’ fight for him. Unsurprisingly Parker doesn’t see it that way.

“These are the types of fights that are easy to look past and that’s when you have a slip up. He wants what I have and he’s desperate. A loss here and it may be the end of the road for him. And he’s prepared well. I believe he’s hired Manny Pacquiao’s strength and conditioning coach Justin Fortune, he’s moved his camp to America for this fight, so I know he’s coming very prepared and focused.”

One weapon in Haumono’s arsenal is a huge punch with concussive power in his right hand. Justin Fortune has gone so far as to compare it to the type of power possessed by George Foreman, a fighter Fortune himself faced in his professional career fighting at heavyweight. Perhaps this may be Fortune ‘selling the sizzle’ in the promotion for this fight, but the power Haumono possesses is undeniable. I put it to Parker that as they are fighting on his home turf and knowing that he possesses the superior boxing skills, Haumono’s best chance is to come out swinging for the fences in the opening rounds of the fight.

“I’d agree with that and it’s something we’re ready for. In all honesty I much prefer it when fighters come straight at me. I do expect him to come out looking to land a big shot, that’s why we’ve worked so much on head movement and defense for this fight. But equally if he does come out swinging that also opens him up to a counter punch.”

Either way based on the power that both men possess you’d be hard pressed to think that this fight makes it past 6 rounds, maybe even less. And based on the superior skill, speed and ring generalship in Parker’s toolkit you’d expect that it will be his hand that is raised in victory after the fight. Which brings us on to the topic of a future opponent. The last time we spoke, before the Takam fight, I had gingerly raised the topic of facing Anthony Joshua. At the time, and perhaps rightly so considering the task he had in front of him, Parker dismissed the subject preferring to focus his attentions on the merits of Carlos Takam but with a promise that we could discuss Joshua should he emerge victories against the ultra-tough Cameroonian.

Having vanquished Takam, I remind him of that promise only to discover a new game of verbal cat-and-mouse has developed as I once again broach the subject.

“So is it OK to talk about it now?”

Joseph’s reply is vague but he’s smiling as he delivers it, “I dunno is it? Talk about what?”

“You know.”

“No,” he replies clearly enjoying stringing me along.

“Can we talk about Anthony Joshua now?”

“Oh, you mean what’s-his-name?” and Parker laughs as he delivers the line.

It turns out an agreement has been reached with trainer Kevin Barry that Anthony Joshua’s name not be spoken during their recent training camp in preparation to face Haumono. Instead the undefeated British powerhouse has, for the moment, simply been re-christened ‘what’s-his-name.’ It’s not meant as any kind of insult, more an acknowledgement that, despite securing the mandatory spot to face Joshua, Parker could just as easily lose that spot were Haumono be able to claim the upset.

It’s a novel way to play around and have some fun with the hype that is now building for the collision course that these two young undefeated fighters now find themselves on. Graciously, Joseph offers me a consolation prize as we wrap up our chat,

“Don’t worry brother, after I beat Haumono, then we can talk about it” and as we both laugh I can’t help but be reminded of a line from a favorite song of mine,

“Stop me if you think that you’ve heard this one before.”

As the fight with Haumono approaches Joseph Parker has clearly got his poker face on and he’s wearing it well………

Joseph Parker (19-0, KOs) faces Solomon Haumono (24-2-2, 21 KOs) at Horncastle Arena, Christchurch, New Zealand on July 21st.