Faumuina To'aletai Mafaufau Tavita Lio Sanerivi Talimatasi Mau David Tua vs. Joseph Dennis Parker

Pretty much a two-man race between this pair of Sāmoan-Aucklanders, if we're talking about boxing's greatest kiwis - regardless of weight class. (this assumes we're not counting Fitzsimmons - who can confusingly be co-claimed to an extent by Brits, Americans, Aussies, and New Zealanders alike)

Parker is on the very short list of NZ pro boxers to capture a world title, while Tua both during his career and since retirement has often been mentioned among the best in the world to not have done so in the modern era.

Tua's best dozen victories are John Ruiz, Hasim Rahman, Michael Moorer, Oleg Maskaev, Fres Oquendo, Shane Cameron, Darroll Wilson, David Izon, Obed Sullivan, Danell Nicholson, Friday Ahunanya ...and...sheesh, idk, I guess Gary Bell or Nate Tubbs? Parker's are Zhìlěi Zhāng, Andy Ruiz, Hughie Fury, Deontay Wilder, Dereck Chisora x2, Francois Botha, Carlos Takam, Kali Meehan, Alexander Dimitrenko, Alex Leapai and Junior Fa.

In both their cases there's a significant drop-off in quality after the uppermost half a dozen. So let's contrast those:

J. Ruiz/Rahman/Moorer/Maskaev/Oquendo/Cameron vs. Zhāng/A. Ruiz/H. Fury/Wilder/Chisora/Chisora.

A lot of those names get highly variable mileage in terms of how they're rated from one individual to another - so this could be debated anywhere from a slam-dunk on either side, to neck-and-neck. Suffice to say both defeated a handful of heavyweight champions - but in turn both also came up short numerous times, against both HW champs and non-titlists.

Head to head & prime for prime, it's a fascinating boxer vs. puncher match-up. Parker would enjoy a half-foot advantage in both height & reach, but their average fight night weights were roughly equivalent. Parker undoubtedly has the skill, at his motivated best, to successfully outbox Tua for stretches of time. Tua certainly had the power, if he managed to catch his fellow Jafa Uce square on the button, to spark out anyone downed by Zhāng, Joyce, Whyte, or Chisora.

 

IMO - a victory over Dubois next month would nudge Parker's résumé just past Tua's, trailing by a slim margin currently (yes, he does have that WBO reign while Tua never obtained any hardware; I just consider the four champs Tua beat superior overall to Zhāng/Andy/Wilder), but, in a time machine match-up I'd bet on Tua to catch him with a late left hook KO.