By Chris Barclay

When your average 24-year-old has gone the distance on the Las Vegas strip and thrown in the towel, Joseph Parker's day is just beginning.

The alarm is set for 4.50am, and 40 minutes later Parker is waiting for the security gates to open so he can jog the sidewalks of Henderson, Nevada, a city founded during World War II when the Basic Magnesium Plant was established to produce "miracle metal" for munitions casings and aeroplane engines.

Rated by Forbes magazine as America's second-safest city in 2011, Henderson is 26km southeast of Vegas on the I-15 and I-215.

It's out of harm's way for New Zealand's heavyweight contender. Parker is rarely blinded by the neon lights when he stays at his trainer Kevin Barry's home in the secluded, and ironically named, Green Valley.

After some gentle persuasion Parker agreed to venture to the strip after dark – he paused outside the MGM Grand, to discuss the significance of the sprawling venue on the corner of Las Vegas Boulevard and Tropicana, then strolled unnoticed through the casino floor to the car park and his lift home..

The MGM was a logical stop for Parker. After all, Caesar's Palace – scene of the epic middleweight war between "Marvellous" Marvin Hagler and Thomas "Hitman" Hearns in 1985 – is no longer boxing's oasis in the Mojave desert.

A visit to the MGM provided a moment of clarity for Parker on May 4, 2013, when Floyd Mayweather fought Robert Guerrero for the welterweight world championship.

"I was overwhelmed and excited.

"I set a goal that one day I wanted to fight at the MGM. I love fighting back home but the ultimate goal is to fight for a world championship and I think a place like the MGM would be the perfect place to hold it.

"The atmosphere is crazy."

His next step towards achieving that goal takes places in Christchurch on July 21 when Parker fight Solomon Haumono, a former league player ranked 11th on the WBA heavyweight rankings with a record of 24 wins (21 KO) two losses and two draws.

Then there is a September bout planned for Invercargill against an as yet unspecified opponent – another means of keeping active until Parker challenges England's Anthony Joshua for the IBF heavyweight belt in London, ideally in March or April.

Parker became the mandatory challenger by beating Carlos Takam by unanimous decision in South Auckland on May 21, the most significant victory of his unbeaten 19-fight professional career.

He celebrated by spending a fortnight in Dubai and Los Angeles, downtime that enabled him to act like a regular 24-year-old before he returned to Kevin and Tanya Barry's sanctuary.

Parker started a seven-week training block on June 6, where running was the priority.

Sparring started eight days later, the morning after he started a three-day detox programme – a measure usually associated with leaving Las Vegas, not settling in.

"Every two hours (from 7am to 7pm) you have a drink that Tarn (Tanya) makes. It's a little hard but if you want your body to feel great you have to go through with it," Parker said.

The regimen includes green tea, honey, apple cider vinegar, fish oil capsules and the only food of substance: half a cup of boiled green cabbage seasoned with salt at 5pm.

For Parker day three is the hardest – he's starts dreaming about solid food.

There's also the reality of the Barry's son Taylor and fellow live-in heavyweight Izu Ugonoh eating regular meals at the same kitchen table.

"They're in front of you," said Parker, "teasing you."

When the cleanse ends, restrictions are still in place. Parker is rationed to two chocolate M&Ms on a Saturday afternoon – but there is salvation on Sundays where homemade burgers, hot dogs or pizza are allowed to spike the metabolism.

Parker runs nine kilometres before dawn every morning – unless sparring is scheduled. Saturday's fitness programme features 20 reps on 36-step staircase and 45-metre concrete slope, built on an unforgiving 45 degree angle, at 5am.

Then he breakfasts and sleeps before yoga at midday to "de-load" at the end of the week.

Parker, obviously, has no issue with the demands and rigmarole of functioning at the elite level.

It is never a chore as he mixes cardio and nutritional requirements with technical training and sparring.

Preparing for a sparring session in the University of Las Vegas boxing gym.

"It's repetitious, but you never get it right," he said. "You always have to work on things. When you have a goal you want to achieve you have to go through all these training sessions to be the best."

In his trainer's eyes, Parker is a chip off the old block: Barry calls Parker "Chizzil" – a reference to his physique, not the construction trade he has put on hold to focus on demolition.

"I never have to get him out of bed, I never have to tell him at the gym 'Stop playing around and hit the friggin bag'," said Barry, a surrogate father while Dad Dempsey keeps in touch via Skype.

"Kev makes sure everything is flowing the right way," Parker added.

"Sometimes you want to come for a ride and see the bright lights. It's good to have Kevin and Tarn look after me and make sure I'm on track.

"You've got to have someone to look after you, but you also got to look after yourself.

"If you don't have control, this is the type of place that'll eat you alive."

Which brings us conveniently to a recent visit to the notorious "Heart Attack Grill" at the Fremont Street Experience mall, downtown.

"Patients" wear hospital gowns before ordering from a menu that includes a Half-pound Coronary Dog, Flatliner Fries and the Octuple Bypass Burger (you can add 40 bacon slices for $7.40). If you tip the scales at more than 350 pounds (158kg), the alarm bell rings and you get to eat for free.

A couple of days before Parker started preparing for Haumono, he made it an eighth of the way through his substantial burger and chilli fries before throwing in the serviettes.

By failing to finish Parker knew there would be repercussions, so he tensed as a featherweight waitress enthusiastically whacked him on the rump three times with the restaurant's wooden paddle.

For once in his life, it was a beating Parker was willing to take.