Boxing: Revill hits out at fight promoters

Rising boxing star Joseph Parker is being managed by "fools", according to boxing identity Lance Revill. Photo / Dean Purcell

Concern Parker being pushed too hard and too fast by company 'only interested in money'.

New Zealand boxing identity Lance Revill has taken a swing at Joseph Parker's promoters, Duco Events, saying the company is more concerned about money than the development of their young heavyweight prospect.

Revill, a former professional fighter, has called on Duco's Dean Lonergan to step aside and let someone else look after the interests of 21-year-old Parker, who is in training for a July 5 bout against Brian Minto, the man who effectively ended Shane Cameron's career.

However, David Higgins from Duco has hit back, saying the sport in New Zealand has never been healthier since the company began promoting it in 2009 and that the tactic of pitting Parker against more experienced fighters was deliberate, rather than "naive".

Revill refereed the Cameron v Minto fight in Auckland last December, in which the "Mountain Warrior" was stopped by his corner from starting the eighth round due to a bad cut over his left eye that was worsened by Minto's use of the head and elbow. He said Parker had the ability to beat the American but the 39-year-old was too experienced an opponent for the south Aucklander, who has fought as a professional only eight times.

"They're pushing him too fast and too hard," Revill, the president of the NZ Professional Boxers' Association, said. "He hasn't served his apprenticeship, he's still only a boy. He's not going to come into his own until he's 28, 29, 30. Right now they should be concentrating on guys in his own backyard, guys like Junior Pati or Joey Wilson.

"He can clean his own backyard up then he can clean Australia's up. There's a lot of tough guys over there like Solomon Haumono.

"They'll give Joseph Parker all the right ingredients to learn the trade of professional boxing ... but now Lonergan's got him on 10-rounders already. I've never heard anything so f***ing stupid in my life."

Higgins replied by saying the credibility of boxing suffered when records were padded out with "bums".

"We are well aware our approach is different to what has been done in New Zealand and wider circles," he said. "But we believe the public want to see meaningful and credible fights. You can learn from a loss. Joseph's career won't be over as a result of a loss."

Revill said Duco was using Parker to make money.

"They're fools... because they're going to shoot themselves in the foot."

Higgins said fighters such as David Tua, Cameron and Parker had received six-figure pay days under Duco.

"If Joseph had signed with Lance Revill and done things his way he would probably have made about $10,000 by now.

"The fighters who come here - guys like Monte Barrett, Brian Minto, Alexander Ustinov - they say they earn better money here than overseas which suggests we are fair and reasonable payers."