Boxing: Former heavyweight world champion Joseph Parker goes toe-to-toe with America's Cup sailor Jimmy Spithill

In the blue corner, he weighs in at close to 112kg with a professional record of 29 bouts and 27 wins - 21 of those by way of knockout. He's ranked No 3 in the world by the WBO, No 6 by the IBF. He's the pride of South Auckland, a former undefeated heavyweight champion of the world. He is Joseph Parker.

And in the red corner, Jimmy Spithill.

Unlikely?

Watch as Parker, New Zealand's top heavyweight boxer, goes toe-to-toe with America's Cup sailor Spithill in two rounds of sparring at Greyman 'Fitness' Solutions, in Parnell, Auckland.

Parker, 29, is preparing to take on undefeated Junior Fa (19-0) in the eagerly awaited all-Kiwi, all-Pasifika heavyweight clash at Spark Arena on February 27.

The bout, sponsored by Stonewood Homes and now with Headquarters Restaurant and Bar as an associate naming partner of the event, is being sold pay per view on Spark and will be Parker's most important since his back-to-back defeats to Anthony Joshua and Dillian Whyte.

For Spithill the session could be a welcome change of pace after spending the past month battling it out in the Prada Cup.

The Luna Rossa co-helmsman, one of the Australian sportspeople Kiwis love to hate, has led the Italian syndicate to a place in the final of the challenger series starting this weekend against Ineos Team UK.