New Zealand boxer John Parker has been awarded the WBA Oceania cruiserweight title following a split points decision in his recent match against Alivereti Kauyaca from Fiji. The bout took place in Hamilton two weeks ago, resulting in Parker’s victory, a decision that the World Boxing Association (WBA) stands by despite protests.
Kauyaca’s manager, Farmaan Ali, has formally lodged a complaint against the ruling, arguing that two judges made errors and has requested that the WBA overturn the result or label the fight a “no contest.” In response, WBA Oceania president Ferlin Marsh arranged for three independent international judges to review the fight footage and provide their assessments.
Marsh confirmed in a response to Ali that all three judges validated Parker’s victory. Their scores were as follows: 96-94 from Brad Vocale, 97-93 from Paul Tapley, and 98-92 from Phil Austin. Marsh highlighted his long-standing respect for these independent judges, noting their experience with major boxing organizations such as the WBA, WBC, and WBO.
Commenting on the fight, Marsh described it as difficult to judge, as both fighters were hesitant to dominate. While Parker won more rounds, Kauyaca appeared to be more active. However, Vocale pointed out that Kauyaca’s lack of accuracy undermined his performance, as many of his punches missed their target or landed on the opponent’s defenses.
Despite Kauyaca’s higher volume of punches, Parker’s strikes were noted for their effectiveness and precision, securing him important rounds in the process. Vocale acknowledged the narrowness of the fight, admitting that both competitors experienced fatigue, leading to a decrease in their output. He emphasized that while Parker may have been less active at times, his punches were cleaner and faster.
Jill Vocale, an experienced judge, assessed the bout as a draw, scoring it 95-95 for both fighters.
Ali, unsatisfied with the ruling, announced plans to consult with more boxing judges from the US and Europe, believing there were inaccuracies in the judges’ assessments. He argued against the classification of body shots as unscored punches and accused Parker’s corner of attempting to protect him from such strikes. Ali expressed his intent to gain further insights from independent judging bodies to better understand the decision.