Parker told the Herald recently: "This was four weeks after the Coe fight [a warm-up bout]. A lot changed for me. I lost a lot of weight. I had a lot of hard training behind me and going into the fight I was confident but a little nervous. Francois is an experienced guy. Finishing it in two rounds felt like the real turning point in my career. It was special. That's when more people starting taking interest in me."
Parker arrived in Auckland only the week before the fight, but left an emerging force in the division.
April 26, 2014
v Marcelo Luiz Nascimento (BRA) (17-5-0) at Koenig Pilsener Arena, Oberhausen, Germany
Result: Rd 7 TKO
This fight was a very important learning experience for Parker and his promoters Duco Events. It was held in Germany on the undercard of the Wladimir Klitschko v Alex Leapai heavyweight title fight, a lesson in itself, but Parker also had to fight back from adversity.
The hard-punching Nascimento burst one of Parker's eardrums but the young Kiwi finished strongly, forcing the referee to stop the fight as he threw a lightning flurry of combinations that the Brazilian had no answer to.
Parker said: "The whole event was different. We were used to fighting in New Zealand. I dropped Nascimento in the first round but he came back and I had to dig really deep because he was gaining the whole time. He ruptured my left ear drum with a right hand in the fifth round which caused a few hearing problems but I was able to overcome it."
Parker and his promoters saw first-hand how Aussie-Samoan Leapai struggled in the spotlight in front of the world's media. Duco Events resolved to prepare Parker thoroughly in this area should he get a similar chance.
October 16, 2014
v Sherman Williams (BAH) (36-13-2) at Trusts Arena, Waitakere
Result: Unanimous decision
"Bullets and gunsmoke", was Williams' catchline during the build-up to this fight but it was the Caribbean Tank who received the most damaging hits. Parker stated he would knock Williams out, the first and, so far, last time he would make such a prediction.
Williams, hiding behind his big left shoulder and occasionally throwing big overhand rights, went the distance reasonably comfortably, but Parker was the clear winner on points. It was the first time he had been taken the distance. Afterwards Williams grabbed the microphone, stating he had won and demanding a re-match, an entertaining finish to the bout.
Parker said: "I landed more punches than he did, including some clever ones. He thought he won but we knew we had it in the bag. I would have loved the knockout, but sometimes you have to be tested. I landed big shots, threw combinations, and proved my endurance was good in going 10 rounds."
December 6, 2014
v Irineu Beato Costa Junior (BRA) (15-1-0) at Claudelands Arena, Hamilton
Result: Rd 4 KO
Parker's performance against the big Costa Junior was one of the best of his career up to that point. Parker was happy afterwards, but trainer Barry was ecstatic such was the statement his fighter made with a big right-hand finish, a spectacular one-punch knockout.
Parker said: "That was a good end to the year, my final exam. In that fight I executed correctly. Everything went to plan."
Costa Junior, the Brazilian champion, walked on to Parker's right hand and was unconscious before he hit the floor. It was a stunning finish, and proved Parker has power to go with his speed.
Afterwards his dressing room was packed with those eager to be a part of the young man's success; a sign of things to come.
May 21, 2016
v Carlos Takam (CAM) (33-2-1) at Vodafone Events Centre, Manukau
Result: Unanimous decision
Easily Parker's most important fight of his career at the time, there was plenty at stake in this one. The winner was guaranteed a mandatory title challenge for the IBF heavyweight belt and Parker was forced to dig deeper than ever before. Takam was relatively defensive, but Parker struggled to hurt him.
When Takam came forward he scored against Parker, and won several rounds comfortably, the first time the New Zealander had been put under such consistent pressure. It was a flat performance from Parker, who later complained about an over-long training camp during which he "crashed" physically, but just as it seemed his chance was slipping away, back he came.
The eighth round was phenomenal, with Parker landing punch after punch on Takam, who was wobbled, but didn't go down. Parker deserved the decision over the 12 rounds, but it was a close fight.
"When I look back at the fight I wasn't really impressed with my performance," Parker said. "It was good getting the victory because of what it meant to getting the mandatory position. But looking back, and I watched the fight twice, I felt like it was rubbish."
October 1, 2016
v Alexander Dimitrenko (UKR) (38-2) at Vodafone Events Centre, Manukau
Result: Rd 3 KO
A brutal performance from Parker from start to finish. Dimitrenko had a good professional record, and at 2.01m was the tallest fighter Parker has faced, but as soon as he felt the power that the home favourite has in both hands he didn't want to know.
Dimitrenko was knocked down once in the first round and twice in the second. In the third, he was felled by a body punch when he had a knee on the canvas. He stayed down looking for a disqualification, but the referee, rightly, wasn't having any of it.
"I did more weight training for Dimitrenko - we saw the big difference in sparring, everything felt stronger, it felt like the movement was much better, we were able to execute the plan in the Dimitrenko fight," Parker said.
"[We've been] trying different things. The whole body feels stronger. I think with this Ruiz Jr fight you are going to see a little step up from the Dimitrenko fight.
"I think [new training] has helped my speed and movement. I put on a little bit of weight, but I believe it was muscle."
