Famous boxer Joseph Parker describes how a teenage boxer from South Auckland, New Zealand, became the world's heavyweight champion. He competed as a heavyweight boxer and held the WBO Heavyweight Title from 2016 until 2018.
He has held several heavyweight titles at the regional level, including the WBO Oriental, Africa, and Oceania crowns.
Early Days: Parents And Siblings
The 9th of January 1992 saw the birth of Joseph Parker in South Auckland. Capricorn is Joseph Parker's horoscope sign.
Parker was raised in the sizable Auckland suburb of Mangere and went to Marcellin College in Hillsborough. He began punching into his father's hands when he was three years old, and when he was still a young child, his father Dempsey provided him with boxing gloves and a punching bag.
When Parker was young, David Tua and Maselino Masoe, who were from the same area as Parker, inspired him. Additionally, he is a working professional boxer and has two additional siblings: John, who is younger, and Elizabeth, who is older.
He is of Samoan descent, and his mother, Sala Parker, is from Faleula Village on the island of Upolu, which is where his ancestors first settled. Early in the 1980s, both of his parents made the transition from Samoa to New Zealand.
Parker also belongs to a religious family that practices Mormonism and is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Due to the influence of their father, Dempsey, who was named after the illustrious American heavyweight, boxing has always played a significant role in their home.
From the age of three, Joe's father started teaching him how to punch in combos. A significant contributor to his achievement was also his mother, who once threatened him with the following: "Train hard or learn ballet!"
He joined the Papatoetoe Boxing Club when he was eleven years old to seek and acquire more about the sport.
Early Career
His rookie career had a successful start. Defended the title of "New Zealand Amateur Heavyweight Champion" twice in 2010 and 2011, as well as taking home many victories on the international circuit.
In 2010, he also took home gold in the "Arafura Games," bronze at the "AIBA Youth World Boxing Championships," silver at the Summer Olympics, and the Commonwealth Boxing Championships.
Career in the Profession
2012 saw the start of Parker's professional career. The boxer, 31, gained notoriety for possessing the WBO heavyweight championship from 2016 until 2018. In addition, he had previously held belts in the African, Oceania, PABA, and OPBF divisions as well as the WBO Oriental heavyweight championship.
The native of Auckland has a solid record, having only lost two of his 32 professional matches. This exhibits his dedication to the sport and love of it.
Over the course of his professional career, Joseph Parker has received numerous honors. He won the New Zealand Pacific Island Sports Emerging Talent Award, and he was awarded Oriental Heavyweight Fighter of the Year by the World Boxing Organization. The accomplished boxer was also awarded the Samoan Order of Merit in 2016.
Is Joseph Parker Married? His Partner
Joseph Parker is not married yet and but he is dating Laina Tavita and soon they will be husband and wife.
Laine Tavita and Joseph Parker have been partners for a considerable amount of time. In their senior year of high school, the pair began dating.
Early in October 2016, Parker and his partner Laine Tavita made the first-child announcement. Joseph and Laine Tavita had their first kid, a daughter they named Elizabeth, in November 2016 while in training for the Ruiz fight.
Parker was in Las Vegas getting ready when Tavita gave birth to their daughter, who was named after his sister and mother.
Soon, the new parents settled into their first joint residence. Before, Laine worked at the 2 Degrees corporate headquarters while they both resided at their parents' houses.
Joe was once again unable to attend the delivery because he was in another training camp with Kevin Barry in Vegas.
Their third daughter, Michaela Florence Parker, was born on May 25, 2019, and Shiloh Jasmine Parker was born in July 2018. In total, they have four kids with the arrival of their daughter Esme Dianna Anya Parker in May 2022.
Partnering with Kevin Barry
Before signing the contract, Joe's father requested that Kevin Barry make a commitment to see that Joe ate his oatmeal in the morning and went to church on Sundays.
When they met with the trainer, Dempsey brought up the condition, and Sala added the value of attending church, to which the Las Vegas-based coach nodded.
Joe and Kevin grew close, and during training camps, he would stay with the family. Joe also became good friends with Barry's son, who was an important member of the training squad.
Due to the practical issues of Joe having a family home in New Zealand and Kevin being located in Las Vegas, he broke up with Barry this year just before the bout with Chisora. He said,
“Without Kevin I wouldn’t be where I am today. Together we made it to the very top. Kevin was with me every step of the way, guiding my progress inside and outside of the ring. So it is with genuine sadness that I confirm our partnership has come to an end."
Linked with Drug Conspiracy
Joseph Parker, a former heavyweight boxing world champion, has been linked to a significant worldwide drug supply and importation operation.
The boxer, who has consistently adamantly denied any involvement in the scheme, was never charged. He has struggled for two years to keep his name a secret during numerous sessions in New Zealand's High Court and Court of Appeal.
Joseph Parker is accused of trading money for drugs with a group that shipped about 20 kg of meth through the mail.
The Crown argued at a High Court trial that Parker was the ideal candidate to manage money transfers for a big-scale drug network since she frequently traveled internationally and carried huge sums of cash. The South Auckland native is accused of aiding in the financing of a global drug ring, purchasing Class A drugs from one of its members, and offering to connect a dealer with a "fresh contact."
Police got a warrant to search his property, but they never used it, and he was never put on trial. The rationale for those choices has remained a mystery up to this point.
Physical Characteristics
When training for his battle with Andy Ruiz, Joseph Parker, a fighter known for his speed and tempo, advised him that gaining a bit more muscle and weight would help him become a better player.
According to his most recent weigh-in for his bout with Anthony Joshua, Parker is currently 6 feet, 4 inches (1.93 meters) in height, and weighs 112 kilograms.
Net Worth
In 2023, Joseph Parker will have a $5 million net worth. According to reports, he has made about $20 million during his professional boxing career.
The boxer receives a guaranteed $1 million from each match, on average. His most lucrative bout, against Anthony Joshua in 2018, brought in over $10 million.
Parker's Endorsements
Mad Butcher is Parker's principal sponsor. Additionally, he has collaboration agreements with organizations including Pass it Forward NZ, eat my lunch, Team Parker, and the Middlemore Foundation, which has added much value to his net worth.
