Boxing contests between fierce domestic rivals can capture the attention like few others because of the unique ways each camp can get under the skin of the other in the build-up.
Anyone wondering how the preliminaries to the heavyweight scrap between Joseph Parker v Junior Fa (understood to be slated for December 11 at a New Zealand venue yet to be confirmed) will play out need only turn their attention to what happened before the recent fight between Australians Jeff Horn and Tim Tszyu in Queensland, where metaphorical punches were thrown at the weigh-in over the judges and continued until minutes before the fight as neither camp could agree about which man should walk to the ring last.
Fortunately, in the end, Tszyu, the holder of the IBF Australasian super welter title and WBO global super welter belt, offered to walk out first and he put on such a dominant display against his older and more experienced opponent that Horn's corner called it off after the eighth round. Horn is a former stablemate of Parker's, and, after reaching the heights of a remarkable victory over Manny Pacquiao in Brisbane in 2017, now must be considering the end of his career.
The first shots in the war between Parker and Fa were fired years ago and one, in particular, stands out as significant as the clock ticks down on what is likely to be a controversial couple of months featuring storylines as diverse as drug testing, glove type and… who has the right to walk to the ring last. Rest assured, no stone will be left unturned in the hunt for a mental advantage or media coverage, for that matter.
![Boxer Joseph Parker during the official weigh-in between Joseph Parker and Anthony Joshua held at Motorpoint Arena, Cardiff. Photo / Dean Purcell.](https://www.nzherald.co.nz/resizer/v2/CINDD22LSHRZ4IBPMQAUZGYPVI.jpg?auth=281abef4e91719411fdd155be2cc777f7065cae2866b78088c27792e9b41bdbe&width=16&height=10&quality=70&smart=true)