Haumono will have legendary trainer Justin Fortune in his corner for the trans-Tasman bout against Kiwi heavyweight and world No.1 Joseph Parker in Christchurch next Thursday. Fortune, himself a former heavyweight who took on Lennox Lewis in his pomp, has felt the power of some of the fight game's biggest hitters during his career in and out of the ring.

Having worked with Haumono for the past six weeks, he believes the former Sea Eagles, Bulldogs, Tigers and Dragons forward has as much power as Foreman or the late WBO titleholder Tommy Morrison, who appeared in the Sylvester Stallone movie Rocky V.

"He's up there man,  he's f---ing strong," Fortune said at a media event at The Star. "I sparred Morrison and Foreman, all of those guys, and he's up there with that, he's got that sort of strength. They're just big punches."

Haumono's power is undeniable, but it's his reluctance to unleash it that has held back his career. As far back as 2002, not long after switching from football to fighting, Haumono considered switching back, saying: "I don't want to hurt people anymore."

Haumono has at times displayed the devastating power Fortune was alluding to, as evidenced by the fact that 21 of his 24 wins have come via knockout. However, he laboured against his last opponent, Manual Alberto Pucheta, knocking him out in six rounds when a stoppage should have come much earlier.

"We're looking for the trigger," Fortune said. "I've got a few tricks up my sleeve, if we pull it off and make him angry, he can demolish people. He's got that stupid power. This is the hurt business. You can shake their hand, have a beer with them afterwards. But whilst you're in there, they're trying to punch the shit out of you, they're trying to hurt you. So you need to hurt them back, bad."

Parker was conspicuous in his absence at the final media event in Sydney. Both fighters were obligated to show up to help drum up interest, but the Kiwi didn't make the trip to The Star. While the mild-mannered Haumono didn't take offence to the no-show, the fact the Parker camp is viewing him as nothing more than a tune-up for more lucrative bouts has hit a nerve. The winner is guaranteed a shot at the heavyweight title held by Anthony Joshua, with pundits already talking about the prospect of a Parker-Joshua megafight.

"I don't know any athlete who wouldn't take that into account, that I'm looked at as a tune-up fight or whatnot," said Haumono, a 15-1 outsider against Parker. "It doesn't take away from what I believe and what I'm going to do on the night.

"They can carry on, that's what they can control. I can control me. I did take that a bit personal early on but I've moved on. I'm thinking about Joshua myself."