Duco strike back at 'old school' NZ boxing criticism after Joseph Parker v Andy Ruiz bout

Duco's Dean Lonergan and David Higgins with New Zealand Heavyweight boxer Joseph Parker. Photo / Photosport.co.nz

Joseph Parker's promoters have launched a counter-punch against what they have described as the "old-school" New Zealand boxing set who have criticised the decision to award the Kiwi the WBO world title after his close fight against Andy Ruiz Jr.

Some, most notably New Zealand Professional Boxing Association president Lance Revill, described the majority decision by the WBO-appointed independent judges as "bull****", with Revill adding he was embarrassed to be a New Zealander after watching the fight at Auckland's Vector Arena.

Rather than score the fight close, Revill had it 118-111 to the Mexican. Most experts ruled it a close Parker win or a draw.

Now Duco Events have come out swinging, saying some of the most vocal critics have been bitter towards Parker's success from early in his career.

Duco's David Higgins told the Herald today the criticism was "crap", and that the public deserved to be told the full story.

"Dean Lonergan and I didn't box ourselves and we aren't old-school boxing people," Higgins said. "The old-school boxing set regularly proclaim their love for the sport, and what I've found extraordinarily fascinating is that from day one, from the Tua v Cameron fight, many of them have criticised everything we've ever done.

"'We've never done the hard hards, we don't know anything about the sport, we have no hope in achieving it, all our decisions are wrong. Joseph Parker is over-rated'. We've listened to this crap for six or seven years but I think the opposite has played out, we've done something they could never do."

Higgins said he had also been consistently disappointed by the criticism and negativity of Sir Bob Jones, who was involved in managing Parker when the now 24-year-old turned professional in 2012.

Higgins said Duco were constantly told they were promoting Parker in the wrong way - whether it was pitting him against the likes of veteran Frans Botha early in his career, or his busy schedule which has seen him fight 15 times in the past three years.

"We made those decisions ourselves and I think to get to the WBO title in a little over three years is unprecedented even on a world stage, so... judging by the facts - have we made good promotional decisions? I think it's obvious."

Revill trained Parker early in his career, before the south Aucklander indicated he wanted to go in a different direction.

"I don't think Joseph was really comfortable with it," Higgins said. "Every trainer is different, and they didn't really gel, so that relationship has ended, and, similarly ever since the tone of Lance in the media is that he's chomping at the bit to criticise anything and everything.

"There's plenty Joe can improve on, for sure, but there are some things that he has achieved that have been remarkable... it's sad that they can't acknowledge that."

Higgins added that Duco were today talking to the WBO to clarify the mandatory position for Parker's title. Englishman David Haye had been appointed the mandatory challenger, a fight ordered to happen within 120 days, before he switched his attention to cruiserweight Tony Bellew.

Hughie Fury is next on the list. Duco are making contact with Fury's promoter Frank Warren, and also the promoter of Deontay Wilder, the WBC champion.

The aim is to get Parker fighting soon and to unify the division. No opponent will be seen as too difficult.

"That's hurt the sport," Higgins said of the top fighters avoiding each other in the modern era. "In the 70s, 80s and 90s we had the undisputed champions, the best fighting the best; Ali, Foreman, Fraser, Tyson, Holyfield, Bowe and Lewis - unified belts.

And then we got into this 20-year period where these so-called champions all avoided each other.

We're going to go the other way to try to unify these belts. If they refuse to do it we're going to make it quite public that these guys are dodging the harder opportunities."