Joseph Parker
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Born
1992 (33 years old)
South Auckland, New ZealandPosition
Boxer
Status
Active
Ethnicity
White
Team Number
Height
193 cm
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Kit
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Sport
FightingTeam
Boxing Heavyweight
League
Boxing
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No
Description
Joseph Dennis Parker, OM (born 9 January 1992) is a New Zealand professional boxer. He held the WBO heavyweight title from 2016 to 2018. At regional level, he has held multiple heavyweight championships, including the WBO Oriental, Africa, and Oceania titles; as well as the PABA, OPBF, and New Zealand titles. As an amateur, he represented New Zealand at the 2010 Commonwealth Games in the super-heavyweight division, and narrowly missed qualification for the 2012 Summer Olympics.
Parker turned professional in July 2012 with Duco Events in Auckland, under the tutelage of Sir Bob Jones. After defeating Andy Ruiz for the vacant WBO title, Parker became the first heavyweight boxer from either New Zealand or the Pacific Islands to win a major world championship. As of October 2021, he is ranked as the world's fifth best active heavyweight by The Ring magazine, sixth by BoxRec and ninth best by TBRB. During his reign as WBO champion, he reached a peak active heavyweight ranking of third by the Transnational Boxing Rankings Board.
Joseph Parker was born in South Auckland on 9 January 1992, to Dempsey and Sala Parker. His father Dempsey was named after world heavyweight champion American boxer Jack Dempsey. Parker grew up in the large suburb of MÄngere in Auckland, and attended Marcellin College in the suburb of Hillsborough. At the age of three, he enjoyed jabbing into his father's palms and while he was still a young boy Dempsey gave him boxing gloves and a punching bag. When he was ten years old, he joined the Papatoetoe Boxing Club to pursue and learn more about the sport. He was trained by Grant Arkell and former boxer Manny Santos.
When Parker was growing up, he admired David Tua and Maselino Masoe who were from the same area as him. Parker is the middle child; he has one older sister, Elizabeth, and a younger brother, John, who is currently a professional boxer. He is of predominantly Samoan descent, with his ancestry roots going back to the Faleula Village on the main island of Upolu where his mother hails from. Both of his parents migrated to New Zealand from Samoa in the early 1980s. Parker also comes from a religious family, belonging to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Parker goes by the high chief name of Lupesoliai La'auliolemalietoa. Contrary to reports that the emerging star was bestowed a matai (chief) title, the village of Faleula revealed to him the name to bestow upon him the chiefly title of La'auli. The paramount chief of the village, Loau Keneti Sio, urged him to be a "strong man". He bestowed his blessings on Parker, reminding him that the bestowed title is a gift and a "blessing to him from the village". Loau said informing him that he has been chosen to be bestowed the title La'auli is a sign of respect. It is also a thank you from the village for what he has achieved for Samoa.
Samoa Prime Minister Tuilaepa Aiono Sailele Malielegaoi awarded Parker the Order of Merit Award at the 2017 Government's Honours and Awards. He was the youngest recipient of an award at the ceremony The Prime Minister also announced the government of Samoa would host a special welcome for Parker, with a half day commission holiday.
Parker currently has four daughters with another baby due to arrive shortly.
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