Samoa’s world champ looking lean and mean

By Staff Writer 11 September 2017, 12:00AM

Samoa’s world heavyweight boxing champion, Lupesoliai Joseph Parker, is in tip-top shape as he touches in down in London for his second title defence against Hughie Fury in Manchester.

His preparations have been given the thumbs up by superstar British boxer, David Haye, who has praised his remarkable transformation in the build up to the fight.

“He’s trimmed up, clearly he’s been eating, sleeping and training, and not much else,” Haye said. 

“I know what it takes to whip yourself in to great condition and he’s obviously been living the life and is a completely different human than the one who was here 10 weeks ago.”

Haye last saw Lupesoliai after over-indulging in an eight-week holiday, following the unimpressive victory over Razvan Cojanu. But at 110 kilos now, he means business.

Haye knows Lupesoliai’s upcoming fight is not going to be easy.

“Hughie Fury’s got a very awkward style, a very under-rated defence and it could sort of pose Joe a few tricks, early-doors, until he gets to grips with things, so it's all about patience, all about him not getting frustated in the heat of the battle and keeping a cool head, that’s the best advice I can give,” said Haye.

“A win against Hughie Fury in the UK, in Manchester, will be absolutely huge for Joseph Parker and his brand.  

“It really would put his name up there in lights and it would really get the British media calling for unification fights.  

“At the moment, he’s a bit of an unknown, although he’s the champion, he hasn’t sort of been on these shores.  He’s popped over from time to time and teased us, but to come over here and show us what he’s got with a specatular win, that would really put his name up in lights and it would really call for one of the big unification fights with Deontay Wilder or Anthony Joshua.  

“These are the big marque showcase names.  This would really put his name in to the hat.

“All he has to do is win, get his hand raised by any means and then he can look forward to much bigger things.  This fight, I don’t believe he’s going to have the luxury of picking or choosing a knockout or points.  He’s going to need to have the fight of his life.  Physically, he’s going to have to be on point, tactically he’s going to need to be on point, the Furys, the head coach really knows his stuff.”

Before the fight, Haye also wants Lupesoliai to be extremely cautious in looking after himself as he looks to acclimatise to London’s weather.

“You got to wrap up, I know where he stays is pretty close to the gym, so after he’s all sweaty and that, don’t go outside in this London air because you can get a cold pretty quickly, so make sure you dry off, wrap up, put a wooly hat on and don’t take any risks whatsoever, it’s not worth it. 

 “When you’re pushing your body to the limit, your immune system is pushed way beyond what it normally would be, so if you’re going to pick up a virus or a cold, this is the time, two weeks before a fight.  This is when you’ve really got to get your vitiman C in.”

Lupesoliai has landed in London. He is training at Haye’s purpose built gym in South London and believes he’s had the best training camp of his career.

The bout will take place next Sunday morning, September 24 around 8am, Samoan time.

By Staff Writer 11 September 2017, 12:00AM
Samoa Observer

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