New Zealand boxer Joseph Parker says his mission to provide some positivity during the fight against Covid-19 will continue.
New Zealand heavyweight boxer Joseph Parker smiles during a press conference. Photo: Andrew Cornaga/Photosport
The former heavyweight world title holder was in lockdown with his family at their home in Auckland.
Parker was also sharing his bubble with his personal videographer Kerry Russell and during the past two weeks the pair had created a series of light-hearted videos for social media.
The three clips have featured appearances from the likes of Parker's neighbour and Warriors captain Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, Kiwi driver and five-time IndyCar champion Scott Dixon and British boxing star Tyson Fury.
Parker said the thinking behind the videos, which had attracted almost two million world-wide views across his social media platforms, was fairly simple.
"Since we are all locked down, we wanted to come up with an idea to put a smile on people's faces.
"I do some great work with my videographer Kerry, who is in my bubble. He helps me out, so we just come up with the ideas and start filming.
"The whole goal is just to make people smile and give them something to laugh at because I know this time is a hard time for a lot of people, for everyone."
The latest of the videos features Parker and a host of stars mimicking, and dancing to, the hit song 'Build Me Up Buttercup', released in 1967 by The Foundations.
Along with Fury and Dixon, the clip featured legendary ring announcer Michael Buffer, Six60 lead singer Matiu Walters and British rugby league player George Burgess.
"With that one, I reached out to a lot of my friends and family and said 'hey, do you guys want to jump on this idea that I'm working on'.
"Those guys on the clip came back straight away and wanted to be involved. It was all about having fun for us but then giving something else for other to have fun.
"The first person to send me a video was Tyson Fury and I really do appreciate everyone that sent me a video because I was able to make this clip to put a smile on people's faces."
Parker said while there weren't any new videos organised just yet, he and Russell were keen to keep offering people some comic relief in a time of crisis.
"As soon as we have something in mind we'll start working on it and hopefully we can continue to put smiles on faces because when I watch it myself I'm like, 'oh damn', you know it's pretty funny.
"We're getting a lot of good feedback so if there's any ideas out there, chuck them our way."
Parker was working his way back to the top end of the highly competitive heavyweight division after losing his WBO world title belt to Anthony Joshua two years ago and following that up with defeat to another Brit, Dillian Whyte.
The South Aucklander has since scored three straight wins, most recently a fifth round technical knockout stoppage of American fighter Shawndell Winters in Texas at the end of February.
