Kiwi fighter got ‘no favours’ from referee
A gracious Team Parker were left frustrated that the referee took away the brawl element of their fight with Anthony Joshua.
Italian referee Giuseppe Quartarone never allowed much flow to the fight when it was battled at close quarters, an area where Parker wanted to dominate and looked strong when he did get on the front foot against the big Brit.
Parker’s boss David Higgins was quick to make that point as he was the first to front the media in the post-fight analysis.
"I think you can be ungracious in putting the fight together, but you must be gracious in defeat,’’ Higgins said.
‘‘I think all our team, because there is a feeling we did our best, the chins are up and we respect Anthony Joshua, he won the fight. But I think it was probably closer than the cards showed (118-110, 118-110, 119-109).
‘‘The commentators were saying he pulled Joe out when he got in and he did us no favours and his English wasn’t that good,’’ Higgins said.
‘‘When Joe was brawling there were hints of Joe finishing it but the ref kept separating them. On another night with a bit more brawling and a different ref, it might go our way. But to sum it up, we respect Anthony Joshua, we’re gracious in defeat.’’
Parker himself didn’t want to be dragged into the referee controversy, clearly not wanting to look for excuses.
‘‘I enjoyed the whole event, I was beaten by a bigger, better man,’’ he said, clearly looking disappointed and sporting a cut over his left eye but otherwise in good health.
Joshua said he would have had no problems fighting at close quarters if the fight had worked out that way.