Parker v Fa: Junior Fa takes big weight, height, reach advantage into heavyweight showdown

Junior Fa will have a significant weight advantage for his heavyweight boxing showdown with Joseph Parker on Saturday night.

The undefeated Fa hit the scales almost 10kg heavier than his former amateur foe, weighing 118.1kg to Parker's 108.9kg, which is about average for the former WBO heavyweight champion.

The two have squared-off at the pre-fight weigh-ins, with Fa - in particular - looking in career-best shape, as the heavyweight contenders shared a few quiet words in respectful exchange.

Speculation surrounds what's next for Parker, if he can successfully dispose of the City Kickboxing-trained underdog at Spark Arena.

But the 29-year-old isn't looking past Saturday night and is focused on making a heavyweight boxing statement, once the bell rings.

"Everyone can talk about the other fights in the future, but my focus is purely on Junior Fa," Parker says. "This is the fight that matters most to me.

"There's no point thinking about future fights, if I can't get past Junior Fa."

Joseph Parker
Joseph Parker Photo credit: Photosport
Junior Fa
Junior Fa Photo credit: Photosport

Meanwhile, Fa can shake up the boxing world with his 20th consecutive win and oozes confidence, after a stellar training camp with his teammates - UFC exponents Israel Adesanya, Kai Kara France and Carlos Uberg, and fellow heavyweight boxer Hemi Ahio.

"I'm good to go," he says. "The training's done, the talking's done, I'm good to go tomorrow night.

"Me and my team have put together a great gameplan, and we're going to go out and do the job tomorrow night."

Join Newshub for live updates of Joseph Parker v Junior Fa on Saturday night.