The Diary: Joe Parker, the magic man and Muhummad Ali

A chance encounter with master illusionist Siegfried Fischbacher in Las Vegas last week has reminded Kiwi heavyweight champ Joseph Parker of a valuable old trick - stay humble and always remember where you come from.

Parker is in a strict training camp in Las Vegas ahead of his March 5 bout against American Jason "The Technician" Pettaway in Manukau.

He met 70-year-old Fischbacher, one half of the famous Siegfried and Roy duo, at the Mirage Casino zoo, where ferocious white tigers and lions prowl enclosures.

"It's a pretty cool experience being here, being able to see the tigers and the lions. It's awesome. I've been here [in Las Vegas] for two-and-a-half years and I haven't really experienced anything like this," Parker said in a video recorded for The Diary.

He was clearly starstruck upon meeting the 70-year-old illusionist, who had the most-visited show on the Las Vegas strip before a tiger attack on his partner Roy Horn during a stage show in 2003 ended everything.

"He took the time to talk to us for as long as we wanted, and just gave us some good advice about being humble and always remembering where you come from," Parker said in the video.

Siegfried, now retired from showbusiness, was born and raised in Nazi Germany. He migrated to the United States and became a naturalised citizen.

He told Parker: "Always don't forget where you come from. My childhood was a very tough one. I grew up during the war."

The entertainer said life has changed pace for him, but he doesn't have regrets.

"It was very difficult at the beginning when we had to stop the show one night, but now we are in a good place. I don't worry any more about what I don't have. I enjoy what we have. The people made us and you must respect that."

The greatest boxer in the world, who is fighting Parkinson's disease, was a big fan of magic. Siegfried said Muhammad Ali even had a few tricks of his own.

"He always came to us before the fight. He loved magic. I showed him a trick and he said, 'you have to teach me that'."

The champ was apparently quite adept at making silk handkerchiefs vanish into thin air, and making keys flip over in the palm of his hand.

He had a "classic" levitation act, world-famous illusionist David Copperfield told reporters at Ali's 70th birthday bash in 2012.

The champ would turn his back to the crowd, put his heels together, and suddenly float off the ground, appearing to hover several inches above the carpet.

The illusion, however, involved Ali actually standing on the tips of the toes of his left foot. It had them fooled.

Parker is hoping for some magic of his own in the ring next month when he takes on Pettaway.

Also on the undercard is Dave "Brown Buttabean" Letele, who is taking on 2011 Tongan Rugby World Cup hero Finau Maka, who was skipper. Maka won an on line competition to fight Buttabean.

- nzherald.co.nz