11:49pm: Parker is now 21-0. This is huge for Parker. Highlights of the fight will be up shortly. Thanks for tuning in to tonights live updates.
11:43pm: It's all over. Joseph Parker wins with a round three knockout. That was a mighty punch by Parker. Dimitrenko is still rolling around on the round in pain. Parker lands a solid punch and Dimitrenko and then he smashes his chest.
11:42pm: Dimitrenko lands a few good punches but Parker is unshaped. Parker counters and Parker lands a solid punch with Dimitrenko is on the ground and that hurt.
11:41pm: Round three is getting started right now.
11:39pm: Round two is over and Parker is dominating. Three times Dimitrenko has gone to the ground
11:39pm: Parker puts him down again!
11:38pm: Dimitrenko is back on the ground! What a magnificent set of punches by Parker. A few to the stomach and then to the head.
11:37pm: Round two is underway and Parker keeping his distance, You can see the size difference between the two fighters. Parker lands a couple more power punches and Parker lands another great punch on the cheek.
11:35pm: Round one is complete. What a great start by Parker. Parker will claim the first round as he put Dimitrenko on the canvas.
11:35pm: Two minutes in and the Parker chant starts in the crowd.
11:34pm: Dimitrenko goes to the ground after Parker gets a great body shot. Dimitrenko felt that. Parker throwing plenty of power punches early on.
11:33pm: We are underway in the main event. Parker? or Dimitrenko? who do you think will win?
11:30pm: Both fighters are in the ring. Parker and Dimitrenko both getting psyched up for this important clash.
11:28pm: The crowd goes crazy as Can't be touched by Roy Jones Jr starts blasting in the arena. One of the all-time great boxing theme songs.
11:23pm: Alexander Dimitrenko is the first to make his way to the ring. The arena goes dark, it looks like a WWE intro. Dimitrenko looks slightly nervous in my opinion. But once the fight starts, he will be determined and confident.
11:20pm: Joseph Parker still playing $1.10 while Alexander Dimitrenko is paying $6.00.
11:15pm: These are the results of the undercard fights if you missed them.
Naz Khanjani beat Bella Henry by unanimous decision
John Parker beat Ratu Dawai by majority decision
Izu Ugonoh beat Gregory Tony by KO (2nd round)
Brown Buttabean beat Clarence Tillman by unanimous decision
Bowyn Morgan beat Gunnar Jackson by unanimous decision
Junior Fa beat Alapati A'asa by unanimous decision
11:10pm: Joseph Parker and Alexander Dimitrenko should be making their way to the ring in 10 minutes.
11:06pm: That is it. Junior Fa wins by unanimous decision. All the undercards are now complete. Up next is the main event.
11:03pm: One minute left in the final round and it will be an easy win for Junior Fa. His record will be 6-0. Fa has beaten Joseph Parker twice in the amateurs.
Junior Fa jabs Alapati A'asa (Photosport)
10:48pm: After two rounds Fa is in control. A'asa is trying his best to connect but Fa is towering over his Samoan opponent.
10:39pm: We are underway, A'asa and Fa touch gloves and we are underway. This fight will go six rounds.
10:32pm: Up next we have Junior Fa against Alapati A'asa. Fa currently has a 5-0 record with three knockouts.
10:30pm: The blue corner continues its dominance tonight with Bowyn Morgan claiming the tough win. That was easily the best fight of the night so far. Every person standing in the blue corner has won tonight.
10:26pm: The fight goes the distance, Gunnar Jackson gets some great punches in to end the fight. It's now up to the judges to decide to wins this entertaining fight.
Bowyn Morgan and Gunnar Jackson (Photosport)
10:18pm: Two rounds to go in this fight. it looks like it will be going the distance. If it does, a draw would be fair.
10:11pm: We are halfway through this fight between Bowyn Morgan and Gunnar Jackson. Fairly even fight so far. Which has been you favorite fight so far. Tweet us @NewshubSport
10:02pm: Two rounds down between Morgan and Jackson with Gunnar Jackson taking the second round.
10:00pm: The Joseph Parker fight won't start before 10:30pm and could start as late as midnight.
9:52pm: Jackson is in the ring and Morgan is making his way out.
9:44pm: Next up we have Bowyn Morgan against Gunnar Jackson.
9:40pm: And the Brown Buttabean comes away with the win, some people seem surprised in the crowd, but mainly cheers from the crowd as the Kiwi comes away with the win.
Brown Buttabean hits Clarence Tillman with a jab (Photosport)
9:24pm: Tillman hits Buttabean with a beastly right hand and he goes to the ground. But he gets back up and continues.
9:21pm: The fight between Buttabean and Tillman is underway.
9:15pm: If you want to read about Naz's win against Bella Henry, you can click here.
9:12pm: Brown Buttabean will go up against Clarence Tillman next.
9:06pm: The fight is over. Ugonoh wins with a second round knockout.
(All photos supplied by Photosport)
9:05pm: Tony is put on the ground again. He gets up but Ugonoh hits him hard again and Tony goes straight to the ground. The first knockdown was a solid jab to the face and the second was with a shot to the stomach.
9:02pm: Gregory Tony got put on the ground near the end of the first found by Izu Ugonoh. Tony has not recovered from the shot to the face, but the bell sounds for the end of the first round. Ugonoh is trained by Kevin Barry.
Joseph Parker congratulates younger brother John following his professional debut win (Photosport)
8:55pm: The next fight is between Izu Ugonoh and Gregory Tony. This fight will go 10 rounds.
8:48pm: One judge had the match as a draw, while the other two have scored the fight 40-36 for John Parker.
8:45pm: We are closing in on the end of the second fight and Joseph Parker in his brothers corner edging him on. John Parker gets some fantastic punches in the final 10 seconds. I believe he has done enough for his professional win.
8:40pm: Parker getting some great punches in the third round. John is growing in confidence as the fight progresses.
(All photos supplied by Photosport)
8:38pm: Dawai took control in the second round. Two more rounds to go.
8:33pm: Both Parker and Dawai take a while to adjust in the ring. It has been four years for John since he was last in the ring.
8:28pm: Both fighters are in the ring. the entire Joseph Parker camp is out watching.
8:23pm: Up next we will see John Parker making his professional debut against Ratu Dawai.
8:21pm: Naz wins the fight with a score of 30-27.
8:20pm: That's it. The first fight is done and dusted. It appears Naz has taken out the fight, but we will wait for the judges score cards. Paul Henry is ringside and gives a round of applause to his daughter.
(All photos supplied by Photosport)
8:11pm: The Naz chant starts around the crowd. Naz gets a few good punches in near the end of the round.
8:09pm: Both fighters are in the ring and both seem hyped and roaring to get underway.
8:03pm: The first fight of the night will be Bella Henry against Naz Khanjani.
8:00pm: Hello and welcome to live updates of tonight's massive showdown between Joseph Parker and Alexander Dimitrenko. Plenty is on the line tonight for both fighters. We will be keeping you up to date with all the under card fights and then round by round updates of the main event.
Fight Card:
Bella Henry (NZ) v Naz Khanjani (NZ)
John Parker (NZ) v Ratu Dawai (Fiji)
Izu Ugonoh (Poland) v Gregory Tony (France)
Brown Buttabean (NZ) v Clarence Tillman (USA)
Bowyn Morgan (NZ) v Gunnar Jackson (NZ)
Junior Fa (NZ) v Alapati A'asa (SAMOA)
Stats
Joseph Parker
Age: 24 Record: W 20 - L: 0 = 20Height: 6’4” / 193cm Reach: 76" / 193cmWeight: 106kgRankings: IBF #1, WBO #1, WBC #4, WBA #8Born: South Auckland, New ZealandResidence: Nevada, Las Vegas
vs
Alexander Dimitrenko
Age: 33Record: W: 38 (KO 24) - L: 2 = 40Height: 6’7” / 201cm Reach: 83" / 211cmWeight: 120kgRankings: WBA #22Born: Crimea, RussiaResidence: Hamburg, Germany
Betting odds:
Parker $1.10 Dimitrenko - $6.00
Pre-fight banter
Alexander Dimitrenko isn't the only opponent on Joseph Parker's mind week. The Kiwi heavyweight's battling the distraction of a potential title shot with Anthony Joshua in November.
Like it or not, the build-up to Saturday's fight has been overshadowed by Joseph Parker's possible bout with Anthony Joshua.
But team Parker only have one name on their lips and that person is Alexander Dimitrenko.
The man himself is questioning Parker's focus.
Dimitrenko believes Parker's thinking about Joshua and not him.
A loss to the towering Ukranian would be a massive setback for Parker's career, a shot at Joshua would disappear so he's avoiding any mention of him and staying away from distractions like social media, newspapers and TV.
He's also staying out of any negotiations between Duco and Joshua's promoter Eddie Hearn.
"I told my team anything coming through from other teams in regard to a future fight, don’t talk to me until after the fight," said Parker.
And despite the hugs, smiles and laughs between the boxers today, there's a definite edge to Parker ahead of this fight.
"I want to hurt everyone I get in the ring with, when you're in the ring you've been working so hard you want to enjoy it," Parker said.
"But they're in your office and you want to get them out of there."
Partly that's down to Dimitrenko's claims Parker didn't beat Carlos Takam.
The Ukranian says he wasn't trying to bait the kiwi, and while he insists it's all behind him, maybe it's not.
"All those things will be crossing my mind when I walk into the ring, and it was disrespectful and I didn't like it so I'll show him what I didn't like about it.
"I want to catch you, you're taller than me. But when I catch you I'm going to bring you down to my level," he said.
And if all goes to plan, the big dance against Anthony Joshua is expected to be on November 26.
Newshub.
