Champion boxer Joseph Parker. Photo / Morgan Hancock / www.photosport.nz
What’s the one word to sum up your mood right now?
Content. I’m content and I’m happy. I have a loving family. I have goals and aspirations – I know what I want in this life and I am just very happy. Long may it continue.
What do you wish people knew about where you live?
It’s always nice to travel and explore the world and meet different people, and cultures.
But to be totally honest, New Zealand is a beautiful, beautiful place compared to everywhere I’ve been. There’s no place like home. Most people who I speak to overseas say New Zealand sounds like a beautiful place: “We want to visit, explore and meet the people, but it’s just so far away.”
I want people to know that if they did come to New Zealand, they wouldn’t regret it.
They will love the scenery, they’ll love the people. They will love the food, the culture, and they’ll love just being here.
I live in South Auckland in Flatbush, and we have a great community.
My neighbours are awesome. If there’s anything I need, I know I can rely on my neighbors to help. I don’t feel like I’m ever going to leave where I’m living now. This is it for me.
What are your passions?
In my downtime, I do love to play instruments. I feel like I haven’t given them a lot of time, or enough time as of late, but I do play the guitar. My sister taught me a bit of the piano. I have a drum kit at the house.
I do love music and I also love fishing.
Which New Zealander (alive or dead) do you most admire – and why?
Because I box, I have always really looked up to David Tua. I’ve seen him once or twice, but I would like to go out and have lunch or dinner with him and just pick his brains. He’s paved the way for us fighters to come through. That shows how much I love boxing and the passion I have for boxing.
What is your idea of perfect happiness?
The life I’m living now. I am very happy: the family side of things, the business side of things, the sport side of things. When you look at everything together, I just feel like everything just flows nicely, and that’s what brings me true happiness – the balance in life.
What is your greatest fear?
Leaving this earth and not seeing my kids grow up.
What is it that you most dislike?
Oh, I dislike Brussels sprouts. I remember back when I was training in Vegas with Kevin Barry, there were times where we had Brussels sprouts and I dreaded eating these things.
But listen, I’m sure someone could change my mind and cook them a different way. But as of now, it’s Brussels sprouts.
What is on your bucket list?
I want to explore the world with my wife when I retire.
There are so many different places that I have not yet been in the world. I would like to visit the Maldives. I’ve heard some great things about the Maldives. I’ve got a friend in Vietnam who says it’s a nice place. I’d like to visit Japan because I love seafood.
What do you hope/think NZ will look like in 10 years?
We’ll have a bigger population in 10 years – the way I’m going with all these kids! (Parker and his wife have four children).
I’d like there to be a little more unity and people coming together, and being together. In the world we live in now, you can just see the “he says, she says” and there’s a bit of friction, a bit of separation.
I’d just like people to come together. We only live one life and we should all enjoy it together.
New Zealand will still be a beautiful place.
Editor-at-Large Shayne Currie is one of New Zealand’s most experienced senior journalists and media leaders. He has held executive and senior editorial roles at NZME including Managing Editor, NZ Herald Editor and Herald on Sunday Editor.
The Tauranga Diwali Festival is running until 8pm tonight.