Joseph Parker's trainer Kevin Barry has been poring over tape of Carlos Takam following the IBF's decision to order the pair to fight in a world heavyweight title eliminator, and one bout in particular might have caught his eye.
That is Takam's defeat to Russian Alexander Povetkin in Moscow in October 2014, a defeat for the France-based Cameroon fighter, yes, but a defeat which showcased all of his strengths - his twin threats in both hands, and, perhaps more particularly, his ability to take a punch.
Povetkin, who has lost as a professional only once - to Wladimir Klitschko - is a heavyweight from the top echelon, and he and Takam put on a superb fight, landing punch after punch in an old-fashioned slugfest. He is a mandatory challenger to Deontay Wilder's WBC crown (negotiations have started for a fight in May) and many boxing observers expect him to take it from the American.
Against Takam, Povetkin was wobbled several times, but never went down. Takam was down in the ninth and 10th rounds. He regained his feet but was knocked down again for a decisive 10th round KO victory for the then 35-year-old. It was Takam's second professional loss. He now has a record of 33-2-1.
In other words, Takam, now 35, is a big challenge for Parker. He is a man who will come to fight in May (and probably in New Zealand but that is yet to be confirmed), a seasoned professional who has seen it all before.