Sideline Sid Sports correspondant & historian www.sunlive.co.nz

Sideline Side has been fielding queries from mates and colleagues in recent times, on whether Joseph Parker is the real deal, or just another to be talked up by his fight promoter and management team as the next world heavyweight champion in waiting.

As someone that has been around amateur boxing in this country for nearly 30 years, I have seen Joseph come through the ranks, from a raw teenager to being touted as the best professional heavyweight pugilist to be produced in New Zealand.

However, Parker has some way to go to before being considered in the same breath as Tom Heeney or David Tua.

Heeney, who was born in Gisborne, fought Gene Tunney for the world heavyweight crown at Yankee Stadium in New York in 1928. Known as the Hard Rock from Down Under, the proud Kiwi put on a gritty performance before tasting defeat in round 11.

In those far away days, the World Heavyweight Champion was considered the best boxer in the world, with title fights attracting worldwide interest.

David Tua was world-class at his peak and it is easy to forget that he beat four heavyweights who went on to become world champions and former champion Michael Moorer.

Tua is mainly remembered in our country for freezing in his world title contest with Lennox Lewis and his defeats late in his career, where he had reached his use-by date.

So where does Joseph Parker stand in the mix of world heavyweight contenders?

On the plus side, he is ranked number ten in the world by the independent Box Rec rankings website.

Tyson Fury's upset win over longtime champ Wladimir Klitschko has opened up the heavyweight ranks, with boxing promoters and management coming out of the woodwork looking for a title shot.

Parker's trainer, Kevin Barry Junior, has joined the queue claiming that his man could beat both Fury and Klitschko. The reality is that Parker is a big fish in a little pond, fighting at home against mainly handpicked opponents.

Sideline Sid's take on Joseph Parkers chances is that he needs to serve his apprenticeship. A creditable victory over a top 20 boxer and fighting and winning in the States should be prerequisites to consideration for a world title fight.

The Tyson Fury victory has made the "be careful what you wish for" saying extremely relevant. Fury, who does plenty of trash talking, seems to delight in destroying support from all quarters, with a big online petition seeking to remove him for consideration as the British Sports Personality of 2015.

While Fury is the man at the moment, it will be interesting to see if he self destructs like many former heavyweight champs.

Waiting in the wings, is British 2012 Olympic Heavyweight Gold Medalist Anthony Joshua. The British boxer is the current Commonwealth titleholder and could be on a collision course with Joseph Parker in the future.