Boxing: Meehan out to ambush the lion

IN TOWN: Joseph Parker's next opponent Kali Meehan (left) and his son Willis Meehan pictured at the RotoVegas Boxing Gym yesterday during a trip to the city. PHOTO/STEPHEN PARKER

Pride and legacy motivates veteran ahead of fight with rising star Parker

Kali Meehan is undoubtedly the best boxer Joseph Parker has taken on in his career so far.

While Meehan, 45, is at the end of his fighting life, like so many of Parker's 15 opponents, he is in great shape and desperate to leave a legacy for his pro fighter son Willis to emulate.

Meehan outlined his motivation ahead of next Thursday's rumble in West Auckland with Parker, 23, on a promotional trip to Rotorua yesterday.

"Obviously we do this for a living, it is our livelihood, but it is more than that for me," Meehan said. "When I was the up-and-comer and I fought the big names, it was really exciting for me to bump them off. But for some weird reason, I always looked forward to one day being the old dog and having some lion coming to bump me off.

"This is it, this is my time. I have made sure I have really done the work. I don't want to lose the fight for my pride. I hate losing.

"Parker is lucky in the sense that he is younger but another advantage is he has been fighting more regularly.

"I have made up for that I feel with hard sparring, mainly with my son Willis. I'm ready to fight. This is the second biggest fight in New Zealand boxing history after David Tua and Shane Cameron."

Meehan's last fight was a year ago when he ended Cameron's career in brutal fashion. A similar assault on Parker is planned by Meehan, who believes Parker is yet to be tested in the ring.

"He is a good, strong, young fighter and he has a few vulnerabilities that I see, that he will probably not have after five or so more fights. He is still learning and I aim to take advantage of that. It is going to be a good fight; no it's going to be an awesome fight."

Meehan has been quoted as saying his son Willis hits harder than Parker, which Meehan said was not meant to be disrespectful to Parker.

"I wasn't dissing [Parker]. He is a good hitter, for sure he is. But put it this way, if he punches properly at 108kg and Willis punches properly and he is 120kg, it is not mass science to work it out."

Tale of the Tape:

- Joseph Parker
Age: 23
Record: W15 (KO 13), L0
Height: 6'4" (193cm)
NZ Heavyweight champ, #8 WBO, #10 WBA

- Kali Meehan
Age: 45
Record: W42 (KO 32), L5 (KO 3)
Height: 6'5" (196 cm)
Inaugural Super 8 winner;
Had a controversial loss against Lamon Brewster when he fought for the World Heavyweight title in 2004.