Boxing: Pettaway backs himself for victory over Parker

Joseph Parker, left, faces off with Jason Pettaway this week. Photo / Jason Oxenham

Jason Pettaway is so confident of victory over Joseph Parker on Thursday night that he is planning to bet $1000 on himself to win.

The odds will be heavily in New Zealand heavyweight Parker's favour. Pettaway, 34, had a long amateur career before turning professional in 2005, but has never fought as a professional outside of his United States homeland.

He has fought 18 times as a professional, with 17 victories and one loss and, while he will turn up to the Vodafone Events Centre in Manukau in good physical shape, he has never fought someone of Parker's class.

"They see me as a speed bump or stepping stone for Joseph, but I've trained hard and they've got another thing coming," he said.

Parker's last fight was his stunning knockout victory over Brazilian Irineu Beato Costa Junior in Hamilton in December, a fight in which just about everything went according to plan for the 23-year-old, including his tactics of working the bigger man's body.

Pettaway, however, remained unimpressed. "The guy was right there in front of him to get hit, I don't think he was throwing any punches."

It is understood that the New Zealand TAB will allow for fighters backing themselves for victory. Parker is paying $1.04 for the win and Pettaway $9. His potential $1000 wager will only be a small proportion of his pay-day, but he clearly isn't getting carried away.