Parker responds to P.M.'s calls for sacking

By Deidre Tautua-Fanene 05 August 2018, 12:00AM

Everyone is entitled to their opinion.

Lupesoliai Joseph Parker said this yesterday in response to comments made by Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sa’ilele Malielegaoi that he was not fit in his fight against Dillian Whyte last week. 

Tuilaepa in an earlier report also said that the former W.B.O. heavyweight champion should change his trainer and that Kevin Barry is not the man to take him into the future.

"I told him your trainer has reached the end of his knowledge and know how in boxing, he needs to go," said Tuilaepa. 

But Lupesoliai told the Sunday Samoan that everyone is entitled to their opinion and he respects what everyone says.

“But when I examine the fight, we were doing really well until the end bout. For example, say the Manu Samoa plays the All Blacks and loses, people are entitled to their opinion but we don’t really have people saying change the whole team and change all that,” he said. 

Lupesoliai said there were a few things that he could have done when he got headbutted.

“From the beginning until the foul happened, for me there was no point to question all that,” said Lupesoliai.

“I’m not complaining or anything because it’s all part of boxing and I guess whatever I decide to do and who I fight against hopefully everyone still can support it and wish us the best in whatever I choose to go with and choose to do.

“And like I said everyone is entitled to their opinion and I respect the Prime Minister and his opinion and everyone else with their opinion, but we’ll see what happens moving forward.”

But for now, Lupesoliai said he just wants to spend time with his family.

“I’m at home right now but I will be in Samoa at the end of this month or the beginning of next month,” he said.

“But I will be fighting at the end of the year because I want to fight again and just because I lost a fight it doesn’t mean it’s the end of the world.

“These are all learning experiences and it will make me a better fighter and I want to fight soon but I want to spend time with my family and my daughters and spend time with the people in Samoa and especially Digicel for their great support for me and then come back and fight again at the end of the year.”

Lupesoliai said whatever happened are just bumps along the journey.

“For example Klitschko lost three times and he got knocked out three times, David Tua got knocked out twice and he lost three times and Muhammad Ali is one of the best and the world boxer of all time, so it’s not about losing but it’s how you come back from it.”

He said it doesn’t matter who he fights against.

“We haven’t found a fighter yet, but like I said many times, I don’t care who we fight but we want to fight anyone just as long as someone is available and keen to fight us, we will fight anyone,” he said.

“But we are trying to work our way to the top again to be hopefully two time world champion and hopefully champion of the world. So I have another four years to go hard before I hang up the gloves and retire.”

Lupesoliai said he would love to face Anthony Joshua again because it would be a different match altogether. 

“But in boxing, you have to work according to the ranking system so personally I think I have to have four to five fights before I’m ranked in the right position to fight him again, so it’s all about building, it’s all about getting closer to fighting him again but it’s just a matter of taking the right fight at the right time and if Joshua still has the belt at that time I would love to fight him.”

Lupesoliai said he plans to spend some relaxing time in Samoa away from the training in New Zealand and also to see his friends, family and sponsors who support him every time. 

By Deidre Tautua-Fanene 05 August 2018, 12:00AM
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