The World Boxing Association (WBA) Oceania president, Ferlin Marsh, has announced that they are currently reviewing the video footage of the recent bout 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 indicated that he has enlisted the help of four international boxing judges to analyze the footage and provide their opinions. This comes in light of a formal complaint made by Farmaan Ali, Kauyaca’s trainer and manager, who called for the fight to be declared a ‘no contest’ and requested a rematch following the split-point decision that favored Parker.
During the match, two judges awarded the victory to Parker, granting him the WBA Oceania cruiserweight title, while one judge scored the fight in favor of Kauyaca.
“I have received the complaint from Mr. Ali regarding the decision of the fight between John Parker (NZ) and Alivereti Kauyaca (Fiji), which took place last Saturday at the Glowbox Arena in Hamilton,” Marsh stated.
He took immediate action upon receiving and reviewing the fight, emphasizing that the WBA Oceania does not take lightly the term “robbed” in championship titles, which is why he requested a copy of the fight from Mr. Ali.
Marsh reviewed the bout and subsequently sought the input of four additional international boxing judges, with one already providing their score. The remaining judges are expected to submit their scores by the end of the week.
He acknowledged that boxing can be contentious, and close fights often lead to dissatisfaction. “Unless there is a clear knockout, invariably someone will not be happy with their fighter losing,” he noted.
Ali has argued that the decision made by judges Arden Fatu and Joshua Niyka was a ‘hometown decision against Kauyaca,’ labeling the ruling as “totally” biased and expressing that many are confused by the outcome.
He also raised concerns about the WBA’s choice to appoint these judges for the fight.
As of now, John Parker’s team has not commented on the inquiries directed towards them.