Following months of speculation, New Zealand’s Duco Events has joined forces with Joseph Parker’s promoters Matchroom and Fa’s promoter DiBella Entertainment to finally make possible Joseph Parker versus Junior Fa, a globally televised heavyweight boxing event, live from Spark Arena, Auckland, on December 11 (NZ time).
Touted as “the biggest fight in New Zealand boxing history”, Stonewood Homes Parker vs Fa will see former World Heavyweight Champion Joseph Parker take on current WBO Oriental Interim Heavyweight Title Holder, and unbeaten countryman, Junior Fa.
“Given the challenges facing major sporting events around the globe right now, getting this fight over the line is absolutely huge, and we are grateful to our partners Matchroom for their backing to make this happen” said Parker’s manager and Duco’s founder and Director David Higgins. “With both boxers inside the WBO top 10 world rankings and in their prime, this is undeniably New Zealand’s fight of the century.”
Parker is ranked third in the WBO world rankings and Fa is ranked sixth. Both South Auckland fighters are aiming for a shot at the WBO world title and the winner of this highly anticipated bout will put them on a trajectory for a World Heavyweight Title shot.
“I’ve always believed that Junior Fa had the ability to become a world champion and, on December 11, he’ll have the opportunity to prove that against a former heavyweight champion and amateur rival, in countryman Joseph Parker,” said Lou DiBella, President of DiBella Entertainment.
“Parker’s an Auckland born Samoan, Fa an Auckland born Tongan; the fight is taking place in the largest Polynesian city in the world; both fighters are close to and desperate for a title shot; they have a split history in amateur fights, and they are both members of the same Mormon Church. This fight already has everything,” said Higgins.
Getting the Parker and Fa fight over the line has taken more than eight months of negotiations with the boxers, yet the partnership between Duco Events, Spark Sport, NZME, with the support of presenting partner Stonewood Homes, was pulled together in less than eight weeks.
The heavyweight boxing match-up also marks the return of large-scale marquee events, with 9,000 expected to fill-out Auckland’s Spark Arena for the December 11 event.
Tickets from $69 + fees at www.ticketmaster.co.nz
Corporate Hospitality available at www.ducoevents.com
Pay-per-view will be priced on a tiered model with super early bird pricing of $39.99 available from today increasing to an early bird price of $49.99 on 27th October and then reverting to the final pay-per-view cost of $59.99 for viewers who purchase the day before or the same day as the fight (10th and 11th of December).
