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WRAP: A dominant win for Joe Parker. Look, there will be some who question his power and that is a fair comment, but Evander Holyfield lacked true punching power and he is one of the greatest of all time. Parker looked slick - and very, very quick. A good 30 minutes of work for Parker with big fights on the horizon. Leapai was super tough but simply outclassed by Joe.
"I want to fight Dillian Whyte and Anthony Joshua and then if Andy Ruiz still has the belts, we can run that back," Parker said.
"Ruiz thinks he beat me but I know I beat him - read the record book."
Joseph Parker vs Alex Leapai: 12 Round heavyweight fight : Parker via TKO - Round 10.
Round 1: Here we go! Triple jab from Parker to open - good fast hands and now he has Leapai backed up against the ropes. Parker landing big body shots and then lands a nice uppercut and Leapai in trouble. Fast hands from Joe. Leapai throws a huge right but it doesn't land. Leapai is game - he's walking forward and throwing big rights but Joe is staying calm and landing nice combinations to the head and body. Joe lands two huge body shots that has Leapai gasping as the round comes to an end. 10-9 Parker, maybe even 10-8 he was that dominant.
Round 2: Leapai looking to close the distance but Parker keen to throw on the inside anyway. Parker lands a low blow on Leapai and the referee steps in. Back to the action after a brief halt. Parker showing tremendous speed landing vicious combinations. His uppercut looking very good. Leapai has a chin. Leapai throws a haymaker that doesn't land and now Joe is going for the kill against the ropes - Parker landing quick hands but Leapai backs him up with a nice counter left to end the round. 10-9 Parker.
Round 3: Leapai clinches and Joe tries to fight out but again the referee calls for a halt in the action for a low blow - borderline call - no point taken. Leapai continues to throw the big right but can't land. Parker working behind his jab in this round - Leapai slowing down. Nice jab, straight right from Joe lands. Nice stiff jab from Joe lands. Leapai's back against the ropes again and Joe is going to work to the body then the head again. Double uppercut from Joe lands but Leapai is still standing. Referee seperates them. Speedy double body shot lands to end the round for Joe. 10-9 Parker maybe a 10-8 again.
Round 4: Double jab followed by a heavy uppercut lands for Joe. Leapai lands a nice short left hook but Joe shakes it off. Parker throws a big right but doesn't land flush. Parker lands another uppercut that has Leapai hurt - Parker aggressive now lands two body shots but Leapai clinches. Referee seperates - Parker back behind his jab now and throws a big straight right that lands, Leapai responds with a big right that lands but Parker shakes it off. Parker 10-9.
Round 5: KB not happy that Joe is standing in front of Leapai. Leapai walking forward but Joe happy behind his jab. Joe lands a nice one-two, followed by a double jab, then a straight right. Leapai is one tough human. Parker on his toes, looking confident - back behind that jab that has been super effective so far. Short left hook lands for Parker. Leapai loading up for that big shot. Leapai is down but it's ruled a slip. Joe kinda taking the round off a bit but still landing when he needs to. Double jab, right, right hook combo from Joe land. One-two from Joe lands to end the round. Parker 10-9.
Round 6: KB much happier with Joe in that round. Leapai continues to walk forward but Parker is keeping him at bay with his jab. Joe goes to the body, but Leapai fires back with a huge uppercut, think it just missed. Parker lands a nice double jab followed by a short right. Joe slowing down a bit. Leapai lands with his left and then throws a huge right hook but Parker avoids. Joe lands a nice right hook followed by a left hook. Double jab from Joe lands. Leapai hanging in there but only throwing one or two big punches a round. Parker 10-9.
Round 7: Leapai with a nice combo to start the round but Joe fires back hard with a body-head combo himself. Leapai against the ropes again and Joe is going to work but Leapai clinches and the referee seperates. Nice one-two from Joe lands clean but Leapai shakes it off. Parker works the body and follows with a nice double-jab. Leapai barely active at this point. Joe looking to finish but Leapai backs him up with a nice right - Joe is fine. Parker just misses a big right to end the round. Parker 10-8.
Round 8: Total shut out from Parker so far - can he get the finish? Parker lands a lovely jab, uppercut combo but Leapai shakes it off. Vicious body hook lands for Parker. Leapai swings widely again but Joe evades. Leapai's nose is busted but should be okay for now. Joe lands a nice one-two to the head of Leapai but he he's still on his feet. Joe backing Leapai up with a big right but Leapai comes back with a right of his own. Leapai clinches - referee seperates. Joe lands another double-jab to end the round. 10-9 Parker.
Round 9: Leapai a bit more aggressive to start the round but Joe fires back and hurts Leapai with a right - Leapai fires back and then clinches. Referee seperates. Leapai with a big haymaker but can't land. Parker taking this round off. Body jab for Joe lands. Both guys looked gassed. Parker nails Leapai with a nice right and then another but Leapai still hanging in there. Leapai misses another huge right hand. Joe on the jab again looking fleet of foot. Parker 10-9. Closest round of the fight.
Round 10: Leapai walking forward again. Joe looks content to coast to the finish line. Nice body work from Joe. Right hand lands and Leapai is backed up again. Joe lands a couple nice body shots. Jab from Joe lands. One-two lands for Joe and then a right lands and Leapai backs up. Another big right from Joe and then a double-uppercut lands flush and the referee stops the fight. Leapai too tough for his own good. Joe landed seven clean shots to the head there. Joseph Parker defeats Alex Leapai via TKO (Referee stoppage) Round 10.
2:19pm - Here comes Joseph Parker wearing white and gold - looking very confident.
2:16pm - Alex Leapai making his ring walk wearing red and blue.
2:10pm - Okay Joseph Parker up next. Should be about 10 mins from his ring walk.
1:50pm - Three rounds to go in the final prelim. Joseph Parker hitting pads with KB in the back.
1:47pm - Someone needs to tell Joe that a Kyrie Irving Celtics shirt in New England is not the best idea given he is leaving Boston.
1:38pm - We are six rounds through the final prelim fight before the two featured bouts - Parker a good 30mins away from stepping in the ring.
1:15pm - So just breaking down Leapai and his record which is 31-7-4. His best win was arguably against Russian Dennis Boystov in 2013 which earned him a title shot against Wladimir Klitschko.
He would lose that fight via 5th round TKO. He has also come up short against Hughie Fury, Manuel Charr and Malik Scott. He is tough and does have a heavy right hand so Parker's defence will need to be top notch.
1:02pm - Okay so we have one fight to go on the card before Joseph hits the ring.
12:04pm - Hey folks, coverage will start around 1pm. Parker and Leapai is the co-feature so expect a 230-3pm start for that one.
Kia ora, and welcome to live updates of Joseph Parker's heavyweight bout against Samoan Australian Alex Leapai from the Dunkin' Donuts Centre in Providence, Rhode Island.
The 12-round contest is Parker's first fight of the year and the first as part of a three-fight deal with Matchroom Sport and Eddie Hearn.
Parker tipped the scales at 109.5kg, compared to Leipai who was nearly six kilograms heavier at 115.3kg.
Newshub.
