Joseph Parker stops Brian Minto

By Eugene Carnachan - 07/05/2014 - Comments

YouTube video
Tonight up and coming New Zealand heavyweight Joseph Parker takes on tough veteran Brian Minto (39-7) in Auckland City, New Zealand.

Minto, 39 years of age, last bout was against another New Zealand heavy Shane Cameron. Minto did a number on Cameron in simply outhustling and muscling him in consistently beating him to the punch. Cameron unable to make it out for the eighth round.

Parker (8-0) appears on the fast track to contender status as Duco his promotional team flag the usual potpourri of patsies in matching Parker with a solid journeyman like Minto.

Only eight fights into his career Minto signals a significant step up for Parker.

Is this a step to early for the talented young heavy? Joseph Parker has skills. His hand speed is good, his boxing wherewithal is developing, as is his power and spatial awareness as a fighter. However what Parker likes to do is fight pedal to the medal in pressing action, in making fan friendly fights.

The gung-ho style of fighting that Parker currently employs works against C and D level fighters. However as the level of fighters he is fighting starts to climb he will find his opponents are more resilient, skilled and experienced, and a lot harder to put on the end of punches to bomb out.

Minto brings experience, guile, intestinal fortitude. He knows how to stay the course and take fights into deep water, experience affords a fighter those qualities.

Joseph Parker will have to learn how to temper his youthful enthusiasm, to box, to build fights to use his physical advantages against a fighter that will be some five inches shorter. Learning how to utilize these skills comes with maturation as a fighter. Minto in his experience knows this, but at 39 years of age does he have the legs and staying power to stay with Parker?

If Minto does this could be a tough night for Parker, Minto possesses a world class heart, unfortunately for his heart and skills don’t align. That stated an opponent with heart and application can be a handful for anybody. Conversely if his advancing years is a factor tonight and his age visits his legs part way through tonight’s fight Parker has the tools to take advantage and get him out.

However Irrespective of the way this fight plays out, one surety is that Parker fighting a fighter of Mintos experience will add volumes to his own experience resume.