Joseph Parker put together a truly remarkable sequence of punches when it looked like he was in serious trouble.
In his fantastic career, the Kiwi has exhibited incredible natural gifts, from tremendous footwork to lightning speed.
However, he’s also capable of biting down on his gumshield, with Parker surviving two knockdowns to defeat Zhilei Zhang.
But long before he was overcoming ‘Big Bang’ and Deontay Wilder, the slick boxer was battling it out in his homeland to prove he had the minerals to become a world champion.
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Joseph Parker landed crazy combination on Carlos Takam
On May 21, 2016, Joseph Parker went to war with Carlos Takam, in front of a raucous crowd at the Vodafone Events Centre in Auckland, New Zealand.
The fight marked a monumental step up for the hometown hero, with his opponent considered one of the toughest men in the sport.
However, in the early portion of the fight, the future world champion lived up to the hype, landing fantastic jabs and right hands.
But as the rounds rolled on, the French-Cameroonian battled his way back into the contest, finding the target frequently against a fighter who was running out of steam.
To the horror of the spectators, it looked like Takam was about to spring the upset. But in the eighth round, Parker proved he had the heart to match his talent.
In a moment of magic, he unleashed a beautiful combination, with hooks flying in at a truly remarkable speed.
Takam tried to throw back, but the bombs just kept coming in his direction, and while he survived, the brilliance from Parker was enough to turn the tide, with the New Zealander eventually winning via unanimous decision.
Joseph Parker viciously knocked out former Mike Tyson opponent
The victory against Takam proved to the world that Parker was a truly special competitor.
However, before then, the heavyweight made waves when he fought an opponent who’d shared the ring with Mike Tyson.
At the time, the bout against a rival of one of boxing’s all-time greats was considered a tough test for the up-and-coming fighter.
But on the night, Parker impressed by destroying Tyson’s old foe.