Boxing: Victorious Parker eyes world title shot

Joseph Parker knocked out Daniel Martz during the Fight for Life in Hamilton. Photo / photosport.co.nz

With the heavyweight division in a state of uncertainty, Joseph Parker showed the clarity of his promise and punching power with an emphatic victory last night.

Parker took another stunning step an a seemingly inexorable march to the top of the boxing world, stopping Daniel Martz with a first-round technical knockout at the Fight for Life in Hamilton.

The Kiwi was a heavy favourite against the 25-year-old American and duly delivered what the crowd at Claudelands Arena had come to see, unleashing a vicious straight right one minute and 57 seconds into the opening round.

Having barely had time to work up a sweat in the ring, Parker immediately turned his attention to both the short term and grander goal. The former will see the 23-year-old look to continue the unbeaten start to his 17-fight career, heading to Samoa to face his first southpaw in American Jason Bergman on January 23.

And the latter, of much more intrigue, is a heavyweight division rocked by Tyson Fury's victory over Wladimir Klitschko last weekend, a result that would have boosted the Parker team's belief that the young pugilist can earn a world title shot sooner rather than later.

"I'm not sure I'm ready for it yet," Parker said after the fight. "We still have a lot to work on but I'm not too far away. We've got a good plan with my promoters and trainers and we'll stick to that."

That plan has been evident ever since Kevin Barry began to guide Parker and plot his path to the top, with the veteran trainer's advice reflected in the game plan last night.

One of the aims in this fight was for Parker to test himself against a bigger opponent, with the top end of the heavyweight brimming with tall timber. Martz provided that with a 2.02m frame - by far the biggest opponent of Parker's professional career - but in truth failed to provide much of a challenge overall.

Parker found some early success with a strong combination to both the body and head in the opening minute, a strategy that proved to be a winning one a short time later when Martz was opened up with another good body shot before being knocked flat on his face.

"When he fights a taller opponent there are always going to be gaps in the body," Barry said. "That's something we planned on in training and Joe implemented it well."

The victory will undoubtedly see Parker's stock continue to rise in the heavyweight division, with Barry having earlier expressed his desire to see his young charge ranked inside the top 10 of every governing body by the end of the year. And with the IBF having already upgraded Parker to No10, complementing his No4 rating in the WBO, that was another box that has been ticked after a hectic 2015.

Parker has fought five times this year and was never taken beyond the fourth round, a fact that illustrates both the need for tougher opponents and the ferocity he has now developed to sit alongside his unquestionable hand speed.

"We've fought five times in nine months this year for a total of 10 rounds of boxing," Barry said. "I think he's shown he's on of the heaviest punchers in heavyweight boxing."