New Zealand boxer John Parker has been endorsed by the World Boxing Association (WBA) following his split points decision victory over Fiji’s Alivereti Kauyaca, clinching the WBA Oceania cruiserweight title. The bout took place two weeks ago in Hamilton, resulting in Parker’s win.
Despite the official outcome, Kauyaca’s manager and trainer, Farmaan Ali, expressed his dissatisfaction with the decision, claiming that two judges made errors and requesting that the WBA either reverse the ruling or declare a “no contest.”
In response, WBA Oceania president Ferlin Marsh sought additional input from three independent international boxing judges to review the fight footage and provide their assessments. Marsh confirmed that all three judges scored the match in favor of Parker, thereby affirming the original decision.
Australian judges scored the fight as follows: Brad Vocale scored it 96-94, Paul Tapley gave it 97-93, and Phil Austin awarded a score of 98-92 to Parker. Marsh, who has extensive experience with independent judges, expressed respect for their evaluations, noting the close nature of the fight and the fighters’ performance levels.
Vocale pointed out that while Kauyaca appeared to be the more active fighter, he missed many scoring opportunities due to inaccuracy and ineffective targeting of Parker. Despite not always landing as many punches, Parker proved to be more effective, landing cleaner and quicker strikes, ultimately winning crucial rounds.
Although the fight was tightly contested, with both boxers showing fatigue and a decrease in their work rate, Parker’s precision and quickness were key factors in securing his victory. Nonetheless, Vocale’s wife, an experienced judge, scored the contest as a draw, with each fighter receiving a 95-95 rating.
Meanwhile, Ali stated he plans to consult additional judges from the US and Europe, asserting his disagreement with the official rulings. He contested Vocale’s assertion about the scoring potential of Kauyaca’s kidney strikes and accused Parker’s camp of dishonesty regarding the placement of his groin guard during the match.
Ali announced his intent to seek further evaluations from impartial judges from different boxing organizations to gain clarity on the decision.