Boxing: Announcer Lieutenant Dan Hennessey reverses retirement after Joseph Parker intervention

Dan Hennessey has un-retired after intervention from Joseph Parker. Photo / Photosport

Boxing announcer Lieutenant Dan Hennessey has reversed his decision to retire from the sport, after intervention from Kiwi heavyweight Joseph Parker.

Earlier this month, Hennessey went viral after announcing the wrong winner in a fight to determine the WBA world bantamweight title.

As the judges awarded the bout to Cherneka Johnson, Hennessey announced that her opponent, Nina Hughes, had won the fight by mistake.

Hennessey made a public apology for the mistake, but was still subject to strong criticism.

And following a torrent of abuse on social media, Hennessey made the decision to step away from combat sport altogether due to the effect on his mental health.

However, after taking part in Saturday’s ‘Taranaki Explosion’ event in New Plymouth, intervention from Parker and fellow fighter Sam Rapira has seen Hennessey make a u-turn.

“I just want to let you know, the love that I’ve gotten the last week from everybody has been overwhelming,” he said in a video on Instagram.

“More so than the hate I got the first week. So what I’m going to do is not retire. I’m going to rage against the machine.

Joseph Parker celebrates victory with his medal. Photo / Getty Images.

“I don’t care about the haters anymore. I’ve never met you people, I probably never will, and I probably wouldn’t like you if I did.

“I made a mistake, I’m over it, I hope you guys are too. I’m going to be the most anal-retentive announcer on the planet for the next five years.”

Hennessey is one of the only announcers in world boxing who can correctly produce Parker’s Samoan chief name, Lupesoliai La’auliolemalietoa.

Parker is yet to announce his next opponent, after victory by majority decision over China’s Zhilei Zhang to win the WBO world interim heavyweight title.