ALTHOUGH it’s almost unbelievable the year 2000 was 16 years ago, cast your mind back to the turn of the century – Survivor was in its first season, mad cow disease was rife in Europe and N’Sync’s Bye Bye Bye had taken the music world by storm.
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On a more serious note, former NRL star turned heavyweight contender Solomon Haumono was at his fourth rugby league club that year, embroiled in a drug addiction which spiraled from abuse to manufacturing.
The hardcore cocktails of MDMA, cocaine and ice he was taking, often testing his own recipes on himself, were compounded by his battle with depression, which all led to multiple attempts to take his own life.
But now, almost a fifth of a century later, he’s fighting New Zealand’s Joseph Parker for a chance to fight for the heavyweight championship of the world, he’s become a role model for his five children and regularly throws himself into charity work.
Talk about a remarkable turnaround.
Australia hasn’t had a heavyweight champion in more than 100 years, but the former Manly, Canterbury, Balmain, St George-Illawarra and London Broncos star is confident he is that man.
“It’s what I set out to do right from the beginning, and it’s a step closer,” he said during an open press conference at The Star last week, leading into Thursday night’s fight.
The beginning Haumono spoke of was his comeback, his serious comeback anyway, to the heavyweight ranks, which kicked off in Orange almost 12 months ago to the day.
Although Haumono flirted with boxing after the 2000 NRL season he returned to rugby league two years later.
He took up boxing again in 2007 after finishing his football career but had two years off prior to his fight in the colour city last year, in which he floored Felipo Masoe in the third round at Orange Function Centre – the bout was on the undercard for local phenom Sam Ah-See’s rematch with Arnel Tinampay.
Speaking with the Central Western Daily in the lead up to Thursday night’s world title eliminator in Christchurch, Haumono credited that fight with kick-starting his rapid rise to the top of the heavyweight division, lauding the people of Orange in the process.
“It was my management who suggested it would be a good place to return after such a long lay-off, and although I was rusty it was good to get the win and move on," Haumono said.
“I really enjoyed my stay in Orange and the hospitality everyone showed me at the fights. Orange also has a young star in Sam Ah-See that could be anything, I hope everyone continues to get behind him. He’s a great talent.
“I’ve come a long way since my return to the ring in Orange, I’m now rated No.11 in the world with the [World Boxing Association] and a win [on Thursday night] will see me fight for the heavyweight world title, there’s nothing bigger in boxing.”
Ah-See has helped Haumono prepare since the latter’s return from the USA, where he worked with legendary trainer Justin Fortune. Ah-See’s also expected to be in Haumono’s corner on Thursday night at Horncastle Arena.
The fight itself?
Haumono’s confident, very confident, despite pundits suggesting Parker was wise to choose him as an opponent. Basically they’ve suggested it will be a warm-up fight for the kiwi.
Parker isn’t looking at that way, and Haumono certainly isn’t.
Although Parker is the No.1 ranked heavyweight in both the WBO and International Boxing Federation and the No.8 ranked heavyweight worldwide across all sanctioning bodies, Haumono is certain he’ll emerge victorious on Thursday night.
“I'm ready for this fight I have trained very hard and now I just have deliver,” he said.
“I love being the underdog and it definitely motives me... many times in my career whether it be boxing or footy I've been up against it but come out the other end a winner ... this is what I aim to do [on Thursday night].
“I won't give too much away (in terms of a fight plan) but put it this way, I'm not going in there to jab all night he will know he’s in a fight early.”
Fortune — who has spent the past decade as Manny Pacquiao’s strength and conditioning coach — said Haumono’s in the best shape of his career and will expose Parker’s relative inexperience with what he labelled “frightening” power.
The fight will be broadcast live on Main Event, at 5.30pm.
KEY FIGHT STATS:
Solomon Haumono
Based: Sydney, Australia
Age: 40
Record: 24-2-2, 21KO
Height: 1.88m
Weight: 109kg
Reach: 74”
Stance: Orthodox
Titles held/holding: interim WBA Oceania heavyweight title, PABA heavyweight title, interim PABA heavyweight title, vacant OPBF heavyweight title, OPBF heavyweight title, Australia - New South Wales State heavyweight title, Australia - New South Wales State heavyweight title.
Joseph Parker
Based: Las Vegas, USA
Age: 24
Record: 19-0, 16 KO
Height: 193cm
Weight: 106.4kg
Reach: 76”
Stance: Orthodox
Titles held/holding: WBO Oriental heavyweight title, vacant WBA Oceania heavyweight title, PABA heavyweight title, vacant WBC Eurasia Pacific Boxing Council heavyweight title, WBO Africa heavyweight title, OPBF heavyweight title, interim PABA heavyweight title, New Zealand National Boxing Federation (NZNBF) heavyweight title.