Ferlin Marsh, 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 in Hamilton.
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 following a complaint from Farmaan Ali, Kauyaca’s trainer and manager.
Ali has urged the WBA Oceania to declare the match a ‘no contest’ and has called for a rematch, arguing that the split decision win awarded to Parker was unfair. Two judges scored the bout in favor of Parker, granting him the WBA Oceania cruiserweight title, while one judge scored in favor of Kauyaca.
Marsh confirmed he received the complaint from Ali regarding the judgment of the match that took place at the Glowbox Arena in Hamilton. He stated that he took immediate action upon receiving the complaint by reviewing the fight himself and requesting a copy from Ali to ensure fair review.
“Boxing is a contentious sport, and close fights will always leave someone unhappy,” Marsh acknowledged. He explained that unless a fight ends in a clear knockout, there will always be dissatisfaction from one side.
Ali expressed strong feelings about the scoring, claiming that the judges, Arden Fatu and Joshua Niyka, delivered a ‘hometown decision’ that biased against Kauyaca. He described the decision as “totally” biased, emphasizing that many people are confused by the outcome. Additionally, he questioned the WBA’s choice to appoint these judges for the fight.
As of now, there has been no response from Parker’s team regarding the matter.