Coco Talanoa — Sports / Page 48

Kiwi-Samoan heavyweight Joseph Parker is set to fight Solomon Haumono in what would be the biggest transtasman bout in history.

The fight would likely take place in New Zealand, and the winner would get an IBF title bout against Britain's world champion Anthony Joshua.

Parker, 24, defeated tough French-Cameroonian Carlos Takam in Manukau on Saturday via unanimous decision to become the mandatory challenger for Joshua.

The undefeated Parker (19-0, 16KO) is New Zealand's best heavyweight since David Tua, while Haumono (24-2-2, 21KO) is one of Australia's best-known athletes having previously been a star NRL player.

Haumono, 40, has been publicly challenging Parker for some time and it appears his wish has been granted.

But he will be a heavy underdog against Parker, who many believe is the future of the heavyweight division alongside Joshua.…more

“I went through a depression that I started to think like a serial killer.” So were the thoughts in former heavy weight boxer To’aletai David Tua depressed mind after losing everything – money and assets he earned during his boxing career of which he blamed the people around him which he took to court.

Source: Talamua

Tua was speaking in Apia where he traveled from Auckland, New Zealand to support Marie Grace in concert and her efforts to share their lives stories and experiences to help young Samoans who maybe going through the same problems.

But Tua is now changed focusing on the positive encouraging young Samoans to stay with God and obey their parents.

“It was through the grace of God,” he professed. “I went through very challenging times. As a (professional) boxer, you put your trust in people that you trust will do the right thing. If people kill for a pair of shoes, $20 million dollars is alot of dead people,” he said.…more

The Hayne Plane is back in the skies as headlines go wild at his decision to play for Fiji at the Rio Olympics 2016.

The media has gone crazy with headline after headline about the devastation at Jarryd Haynes decision to represent Fiji at the Olympics in Rio later this year. Some headlines have suggested 'He should play for Australia, he's Australian'. Some have been quite straightforward like Jai Bednall whose headline reads 'Jarryd Hayne's Olympic dream is a joke'

This piece is a celebration of Jarryd Hayne and his brave decision to represent one of the two countires he identifies with. He has proudly represented Fiji in Rugby League and also donned the Green and Gold jersey for the Kangaroos. This time he is pledging his allegiance to Fiji for a shot at Gold at the Rio Olympics! Is that so bad? We don't think so, he is part Fijian?!

Here's what has gone on in the last few days in a nutshell:

• Jarryd Hayne announces retirement from the NFL.…more

Samoa completed a stunning comeback to beat Fiji 29-26 in the Cup final to win the Paris Sevens.

It's the first tournament victory for the Manu since Dubai in 2012 and reverses a 42-5 hiding suffered at the hands of their Pacific rivals in pool play a day earlier.

Head coach Damian McGrath was full of praise for his players.

"I never in my wildest dreams when we woke up this morning thought that we could go through the day. We played three probably the most physical teams here in South Africa, Argentina and then Fiji and to put in the sort of performance that we did made me really proud."

Another heavy defeat appeared on the cards for Samoa when tries to Isake Katonibau, Leone Nakarawa and Jerry Tuwai gave Fiji a commanding 21-0 advantage nine minutes into the final.

Belgium Tuatagaloa struck back with a try for Samoa but Jerry Tuwai's second of the match gave Ben Ryan's side a seemingly insurmountable 26-7 half-time lead.…more

With 18 wins - 16 of which were by KO, the formiddable and unstoppable Joseph Parker is one of the most exciting boxers to come out of NZ since David 'The Terminator' Tua!

"Our challenge now is that we need funding."

It's not the exact words you would expect to hear from an Olympic athlete, but for Tongan-Australian Pita Taufatofua, it's been the bottom line phrase of his professional career.

For the most part he has self-funded his entire journey, a career that spans twenty years and includes various international tournaments, and two other Olympic Qualifying events.

The first disappointment in the journey to the Olympic dream was missing out on competing in the 2008 Oceania tournament (an Olympic Qualifying event) because the government of Tonga had no funds to send him.

And now, after becoming Tonga's first ever Taekwondo Olympic Qualifier, the struggle to get funding remains.

"The government is doing what they can, at the moment there isn't anything for them to give," said Pita

"But they're working on their part to try and get as much to us as possible."

But it's the early stages of preparation where funding is really needed, explains Pita.…more

Check out the incredible NFL Network Feature about the Polynesian influence on the NFL.

All of the interviews occurred at the 2016 Polynesian Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement weekend by NFL Network's Steve Wyche.

Check out some of the hightlights from one of the fastest success stories in Rugby, the Ioane brothers Rieko and Akira Ioane! 

After being stars at Auckland Grammar, Rieko and Akira Ioane pulled on the black jersey of the Maori All Blacks for the first time together in 2015. Later that year they were selected together in Sir Gorden Tietjens 7s squad. Since then, they have played many tournaments, and have scored many great tries, which are featured in this video.

Video cred: lewif007 Productions

Check out the uso Krit Faanene Schmidt in #TalkingKrit where he catches up with Hurricanes and All Black player Victor Vito! 

The usos catch up on life - from moving to France to the New Zealand flag and everything in between.

We join All Black Legend Keven Mealamu as he visits James Cook High School with Counties Manukau and a very special guest - Wiremu, the Webb Ellis Cup.