Ferlin Marsh, the president of the World Boxing Association (WBA) Oceania, has announced that they are currently reviewing video footage of the recent match between New Zealand’s John Parker and Fiji’s Alivereti Kauyaca, which took place in Hamilton last week.
In an email response to RNZ Pacific, Marsh confirmed that he has enlisted the help of four international boxing judges to analyze the footage and provide their opinions following a formal complaint from Kauyaca’s trainer and manager, Farmaan Ali.
Ali has requested a declaration of ‘no contest’ and called for a rematch, contesting the split-point decision that awarded Parker the victory. While two judges scored the fight in favor of Parker, one judge favored Kauyaca.
“I have received the complaint from Mr. Ali regarding the decision of the fight between John Parker (NZ) and Alivereti Kauyaca (Fiji), which occurred last Saturday at the Glowbox Arena in Hamilton,” Marsh stated.
He added, “I took immediate action upon receiving and reviewing the fight. WBA Oceania does not take kindly to the term ‘robbed’ in relation to our title matches, which is why I requested Mr. Ali to send me a copy of the fight.”
Marsh mentioned that he reviewed the fight and subsequently directed four international boxing judges to provide their scores, noting that one judge has already replied, while the others have until the week’s end to submit theirs.
He acknowledged that boxing can be a controversial sport, and close contests often lead to dissatisfaction. “Unless there is a clear knockout, invariably someone will not be happy with the outcome,” he remarked.
Ali contends that the decision rendered by judges Arden Fatu and Joshua Niyka was biased in favor of Parker, calling it a ‘hometown decision’ against Kauyaca. He expressed that the ruling was “totally” biased and that many are bewildered by the results. Ali also questioned the WBA’s choice of judges for this bout.
As of now, John Parker’s team has not responded to inquiries regarding the situation.