The drums are beating. Away in the hills, thunder is starting to crack and roll. Wind is sweeping through the town's streets. Bottle stores are being eyed up, and bars are getting extra supplies in. Grand plans are being hatched.There's an excitement around the traps, but honestly inquisitive whispers too: 'is Joseph Parker really legit? Hasn't he just fought has-beens and bums? Really, I mean really, could be become the Champ?"For the last couple of years in New Zealand, it has been difficult to answer those questions; especially the first and last ones.Parker's fight promoters – Duco Events – have done a truly masterful job of controlling the media narrative around the 25-year-old Kiwi with the foreboding 22-0 (18 by knockout) fight record.Frequent paid-for trips for journalists to training camps, glitzy press conferences and a ready parade of boxing experts and personalities to go on camera, or record, to talk about whatever bout was on the way has created a constant, thoroughly effective low-heatboil of press on the Big Kiwi.In Parker too, they have a thoroughly accessible young bloke whose polite, well-mannered approach to his sport and the public feeds into New Zealand cultural wet dreams of laconic sportsmen - i.e. Sir Ed and Pinetree Meads - of days gone by.Read the rest of this article on VICE SPORTS.
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