Joseph Parker is the exception not the rule. Anything below the very top echelon and boxing in New Zealand is a grind. Just ask Craig Thomson, the Auckland promoter who will fight a former UFC title challenger in order to create pathways for emerging New Zealand talent.
Parker's career was built in unusual fashion; Duco Events managing to market every one of his 24 undefeated fights on pay-per-view. It was a New Zealand first. David Tua crafted a following by fighting in the US, while Shane Cameron toured New Zealand to stage local shows before banking serious cheques.
These days, New Zealand heavyweight Junior Fa is following Tua's footsteps, forging a 13-0 record after signing a promotional agreement with US promoter Lou DiBella.
Opportunities for Kiwi boxers to fight on headline cards here and boost their profile are now slim; Cameron's show in Auckland next month which will be televised on Sky a rarity. Finding credible opponents can be difficult enough, and money for such a brutal exercise remains paltry.
This is where Thomson comes in. He has travelled to Idaho this week to meet a series of casinos about the prospect of investing in emerging Kiwi fighters by putting them on boxing cards in the States.