By Duncan Johnstone
40-year-old Solomon Haumono will provide "a different kind of challenge" as Joseph Parker prepares for his world heavyweight bout with Anthony Joshua.
Haumono has been calling out Parker for a couple of years and it has been confirmed that the fighters' handlers have been in negotiations.
A Duco Events spokesman said "no contract has been signed" as of Monday. But it's a rapidly developing scene and Haumono appears to be the signature they are waiting for.
Details of Parker's next fight will be announced this week, possibly as early as Tuesday before the Kiwi heavyweight leaves on Wednesday for Dubai and California for a deserved break.
Parker beat Carlos Takam in south Auckland on Saturday night in an IBF eliminator to win the mandatory rights to challenge for the world title currently held by Britain's Anthony Joshua.
Parker's promoters, Duco Events, are eager to keep Parker busy while he waits for that mandatory fight to eventuate – it won't happen before November 19 and probably not until next year.
They don't want him sitting idle and plan two fights before November with talk of Parker even appearing on a Joshua undercard in London late in the year to introduce him live to the British scene.
It's a risky business because if Parker gets beaten in the meantime he will lose his mandatory position, and with it the potential millions that come with a world title fight.
A Haumono fight would certainly have marketing potential on either side fo the Tasman. Duco have gained a foothold in the Australian TV market through their management of world-rated Aussie welterweight Jeff Horn.
Haumono's promoter Matt Rose said they had been "talking to Duco for months" but gave little away in terms of anything being firmed up.
"Each time Parker finishes a fight I chase them up," Rose said from Australia.
Rose said they had a chance of Haumono fighting Hughie Fury, cousin of WBA and WBO world champion Tyson Fury, on the undercard of the July 9 rematch between Tyson Fury and Wladimir Klitschko in Manchester.
That presented big opportunities in itself, a chance to showcase Haumono on the British stage, where the heavyweight scene is exploding.
Taking a lucrative Fury fight would rule out a bout against Parker which is being planned for late July in New Zealand.
But a massive "local" promotion against Parker would be irresistible and for that reason alone, it is expected Haumono will take the New Zealand option.
From Parker's perspective, if he can't beat Haumono, he can forget about beating Joshua and while there are dangers, it will appeal as a warm-up fight that can also bring in revenue.
Haumono is a 40-year-old who has fought 28 times for 24 wins (21 Kos), 2 losses (1 KO) and 2 draws.
Born in New Zealand of Tongan descent, he made his name in rugby league with a lengthy spell in the NRL and Britain's Super League, playing 159 games spread between Manly, Wests Tigers, St George, and the London Broncos.
He took up professional boxing in 2000 and has fought mainly limited opponents though he has made his way to No 12 in the WBA rankings where Parker sits at No 10.
The big name on Haumono's boxing CV is American Kevin Johnson, whom he lost to by a 10th round knockout in 2013.
Parker and Haumono share a common opponent in Brazil's Marcelo Luiz Nascimento.
Parker beat Nascimento with a seventh round TKO in Germany in 2014 with the fight being on the undercard of then world champion Klitschko.
Haumono blasted out Nascimento in three rounds in Melbourne a year earlier.
Haumono is supremely fit and is on a four fight winning streak.
But his last win was a self-admitted unimpressive knockout of Argentina's Manuel Alberto Pucheta in Brisbane last month.
Interestingly, that card was promoted by Duco Events.
