JOSEPH PARKER is back in the ring for an all Kiwi dust-up with Junior Fa.
The heavyweight pair finally do battle in Aukland after their initial bout was postponed in 2020 – and there's a packed undercard.
- Start time: Undercard (6.30am GMT), main event (9.30am)
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- Wally Downes Jr
WHAM PAM!
Pampellone says: "It was a great experience and I fought I boxed well.
"I am working alongside great pros in the gym but I am still shooting to fight in the Olympics.
"I waited a bit for the liver shot, then I saw it and landed it."
- Wally Downes Jr
R1 – PAMELLONE WINS KO!
Pampellone lands a cuffing right hand instantly.
What a welcome to the pro game for poor Amouta.
Pampellone already has two more Spring fights already planned for after this.
Amouta takes some heavy shots but bravely stays in the fight for now.
Then a liver shot drives him into a corner and Pampellone batters him into the floor and it is waved off.
- Wally Downes Jr
JEROME PAMPELLONE VS ANTZ AMOUTA
Catchweight action first as 2-0 Pampellone takes on a debutant.
Pampellone, 24, is usually a lightheavy but has let Amouta come in at almost 14.5st.
Amouta is a big underdog pn his pro boxing bow but has a kickboxing background.
'The Panther' Pampellone was born in England before making a lovely move.
- Wally Downes Jr
SCORE DRAW
It's 2-2 from the amateurs between Parker and Fa.
Are they hard to split?
- Wally Downes Jr
MORNING HAKA
Every boxing show in the world would start with a haka if I had my way.
Joseph Parker vs Junior Fa gets underway with a peach of the war dance in the Spark Arena ring.
Local bragging rights and the WBO Oriental title on the line when the bog boys meet.
But plenty of undercard action first…
- Jim Sheridan
FULL UNDERCARD
It's not just Parker vs Fa – check out all the fights on the bill in Aukland today…
- Joseph Parker vs Junior Fa (heavyweight)
- Hemi Ahio vs Julius Long (heavyweight)
- Nikolas Charalampous vs Panuve Helu (cruiserweight)
- David Nyika vs Jesse Maio (cruiserweight)
- Alrie Meleisea vs Lani Daniels (heavyweight)
- Jerome Pampellone vs Antz Amouta (light-heavyweight)
- Richie Hadlow vs Obedi Maguchi (super-lightweight)
- John Parker vs Egelani Taito (light-heavyweight)
- Phil Telea vs Niro Iuta (heavyweight)
WHAT THEY SAID
Fa: "It is never ideal when these things happen.
"However, I'm happy and relieved to confirm I'm now well and truly back on track. I've been looking forward to this fight for a long time now, so to once again have a date locked in is great. Joseph Parker has held a world title before, so when I beat him, I'll be a giant step closer to realising my own dream."
Parker: "We'd been working really hard to ensure I peaked in December and delivered a performance that would have made the heavyweight division sit up and take notice.
"So it was very disappointing when Junior had to postpone. But these things happen in boxing. The good thing is that Junior is now on track to be 100 percent fit and ready to go in February. I wouldn't want it any other way."
PARKER VS FA
What a weekend of boxing we've got ahead of us.
Canelo Alvarez returns to the ring tomorrow night, but before all that it's time for the heavyweights to take centre stage.
It seems like a lifetime ago that Joseph Parker took on both Anthony Joshua and Dillian Whyte, losing both as the Kiwi's grip on the world title loosened.
But you can't keep a good fighter down for long, and three wins later the giant New Zealander is back in the ring tonight.
He faces a dust-up with fellow countryman Junior Fa, an unbeaten prospect who hasn't been seen in the ring since November 2019.
This will be the biggest test of his career tonight against the big-punching Parker, who is back in Auckland for the first since facing – and beating – former world champ Andy Ruiz Jr in 2016.
It's set to be a bumper night of action, with the card getting going around 6am GMT.
We'll be bringing you every hook, jab and upper-cut as it happens – so prepare yourself for breakfast boxing.
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