Increasingly the boxing world is looking at Joseph Parker.
At one time he was little more than an antipodean curiosity but now, with a 19 and 0 record, he is a contender and those in the know are taking notice.
The latest to talk Parker up is Shannon Briggs, a brash American who during his 20 year boxing career has taken on some of sport's biggest names including George Foreman, Vitali Klitschko and Lennox Lewis.
Briggs' record is 68 fights with 60 wins, including 53 knockouts. He's a larger than life character and so when he was asked about Parker and his IBF fight against Anthony Joshua he got very animated.
He reckons Parker is better now than he was during his own career. No date has been confirmed for the fight - but later this year or January have been mentioned as possibilities.
Briggs wasn't about to make a prediction on the fight but is clearly looking forward to it, saying both fighters have great hand speed and the fight "could be something crazy".
Parker is the mandatory challenger though he would lose that if he is defeated by Solomon Haumono in Christchurch on Thursday night.
Parker is the hottest of favourites to make it 20-in-a-row against a man who is 16 years his senior. Haumono has a reputation as a hard hitter - 21 of his 24 wins have come from knockouts.
Newshub.
