Quality ref priority for Parker camp
WELLINGTON: Joseph Parker’s camp is putting quality over neutrality as the British Boxing Board prepares to name the official for the New Zealand heavyweight’s crucial fight against bolshy Briton Dillian Whyte next weekend.
Parker’s promoter, David Higgins, and trainer Kevin Barry have been vocal in their thoughts about the referee for the bout in Whyte’s backyard at London’s O2 Arena.
Their concerns have been largely fuelled by the performance of Italian official Giuseppe Quartarone in the South Aucklander’s unanimous points decision loss to English superstar Anthony Joshua in their world title unification encounter in April.
Quartarone was widely criticised for separating the fighters far too often, while after the bout Barry expressed disappointment about the referee’s poor command of the English language.
Higgins expected the referee for the clash against Whyte to be named within the next week and said, unlike before the Joshua fight, neutrality was not the priority for Team Parker.
‘‘You live and you learn. There’s probably a couple of British referees who would have done a far better job than the Italian.
‘‘When the names are put forward the first thing we will be looking at, Kevin Barry in particular, is what is their track record like.
‘‘Are they competent? Have the refereed big heavyweight world title fights before? Have they displayed fairness?
‘‘If they tick those boxes, we’ll probably say ‘yep, we’re happy’.’’
The emphasis being put on a quality referee is not only surprising because of what transpired in the loss to Joshua, the first and only loss of Parker’s 25fight professional career.
It is also important given what is on the line as the winner of the fight next Sunday will put himself in pole position for a shot at a world title.
Higgins confirmed yesterday Parker and Whyte will be squaring off for the WBC Silver and WBO International belts, and said that showed how important the fight is seen by the sport’s sanctioning bodies.
‘‘The belts add a little more stature and credibility to the occasion.
‘‘It’s as much about the relationship with the sanctioning bodies, in this case the WBO and WBC, as it is about the ranking.’’
Joshua’s team has battled for months to secure a unification bout with the only other heavyweight champion, American WBC champion Deontay Wilder, before eventually changing tack this week confirming a September bout with highlyrated Russian Alexander Povetkin.
An offer from Joshua to Wilder for a fight at Wembley next April remains on the table, subject to the former getting past Povetkin.
Parker and Barry touched down in London yesterday after an eightweek camp at their training base in Las Vegas.