Ferlin Marsh, the president of the World Boxing Association (WBA) Oceania, has announced that they are currently reviewing the video footage of the recent fight 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 stated that he has enlisted the help of four international boxing judges to assess the footage and provide their opinions following a complaint by Farmaan Ali, who is Kauyaca’s trainer and manager.
Ali has formally requested that the WBA Oceania declare the bout a ‘no contest’ and demand a rematch, contesting the split decision that awarded the fight to Parker. Two judges scored the match in favor of Parker, granting him the WBA Oceania cruiserweight title, while one judge sided with Kauyaca.
Marsh acknowledged receiving Ali’s complaint regarding the decision from the recent fight held at the Glowbox Arena in Hamilton. He took swift action upon reviewing the footage, emphasizing that the WBA Oceania does not tolerate the term “robbed” in connection with their title bouts. Consequently, he requested Ali provide a copy of the fight for further analysis.
After reviewing the footage, Marsh has sought the input of four international judges to submit their scores, with one already responding. The remaining judges are expected to provide their scores by the end of the week.
Marsh pointed out that boxing can often be a contentious sport, particularly in closely contested matches where one side is bound to be dissatisfied with the outcome.
Farmaan Ali has alleged that the judges who awarded the fight to Parker, Arden Fatu and Joshua Niyka, made a “hometown decision” that favored Parker. He described the decision as “totally” biased, adding that many observers are confused by the outcome.
Ali also raised concerns regarding the WBA’s choice of judges for this fight. As of now, John Parker’s team has yet to respond to inquiries regarding the situation.