Boxing promoter downplays Pora match

Teina Pora had a ringside seat at Joseph Parker's fight. Photo / Getty Images

A boxing promoter is down-playing the prospects of a match up between Teina Pora and a police officer.

It follows a backlash after video of Mr Pora meeting Kiwi boxer Joseph Parker was sent to media yesterday, a move labelled "reprehensible" by Mr Pora's lawyer.

The former inmate's friend and boxing trainer approached Sky Arena and Duco about the possibility of a charity boxing match between Mr Pora and a police officer.

Sky Arena declined but Duco took up the idea and yesterday sent media a video of Mr Pora meeting champion boxer Joseph Parker and information about Mr Pora getting in the ring.

Today Mr Pora's lawyer Jonathan Krebs told Newstalk ZB his client was unaware that the video would be on the news because there were no television cameras at the meeting, only cellphones.

"He was aghast and disappointed," he said.

"It was just usury, usury for the purpose of promoting this boxing match."

Mr Krebs said Mr Pora was a big boxing fan, but the meeting preyed on Mr Pora's vulnerability and naivety, which was "utterly reprehensible".

"In my view that's something of a reptilian approach and it's desperately unfair to Teina."

However, David Higgins of Duco said today getting Mr Pora in the ring was not a certainty.

"He approached us wanting to do the fight, we said we'd think about it."

Mr Higgins wasn't sure whether it would go ahead, but said it would "be a shame" if negative publicity put Mr Pora off.

"He really enjoyed [last night's Joseph Parker] fight, he really enjoyed meeting Joseph and it was a lovely moment."

Mr Higgins said he understood Mr Krebs and the whole legal team had done a "good job for him on certain aspects of his life", but were now "out of line" with regards to their reaction.

The video taken from Mr Pora's meeting yesterday with Parker included him saying: "I'm a big fan [of Parker]. I used to watch his fights inside the place I've been for the last 22 years and to stand there and meet him, it's an honour and a privilege."

On Tuesday the Privy Council upheld Mr Pora's appeal and quashed his convictions for the 1992 rape and murder of Susan Burdett. He spent more than 20 years in prison after being twice convicted of the crime.

Yesterday Tim McKinnel, the private investigator who has been working to help clear Mr Pora's name since 2009, said there was no issue with his client attending the fight.

The concern was around Mr Pora's ability to make decisions about his future.

Mr Pora suffers from a form of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder.

Mr McKinnel said: "Our main position is that we'd like to have a discussion (today) about the process Duco went through before deciding to use a man that they knew had some intellectual difficulties -- and was in a vulnerable legal position -- for promotion.

"I think most of the country is aware of the issues Teina faces. Teina did not know he was being filmed for the news."

He said he wanted to meet with Mr Higgins and Duco, but Mr Higgins said no meeting had taken place at time of writing.