Parker promoters take aim

Joseph Parker’s WBO heavyweight title fight against Hughie Fury is off after the Englishman pulled out claiming injury less than two weeks out from the event in Auckland.

Parker was due to fight Fury in a mandatory defence of his WBO world heavyweight title on May 6.

World Boxing Organisation (WBO) president Paco Valcarel said in a tweet yesterday the fight was now off and ‘‘the problem lies within the Fury camp’’.

Parker has been mucked around by the Fury camp throughout the build up. The Kiwi champion has been through an extensive training camp and arrived in New Zealand on Saturday ready to step into the ring next week.

Parker’s promoters, Duco Events, fired a shot at the Fury camp for pulling out at such late notice.

‘‘I spoke to the WBO president a minute ago he said the Furys are claiming to have an injury and therefore we can fight whoever we want when we want as a voluntary defence out of the top 15,’’ Duco co-owner David Higgins said.

Asked about the nature of Fury’s injury, Higgins said: ‘‘I know exactly what it is; their moral compass has broken in half - a nasty fracture of the moral compass. It’s not just Hughie, the whole camp has.

‘‘That’s boxing. Sometimes this sort of thing goes on. They didn’t appear to want to come to New Zealand.’’

Higgins is yet to speak to anyone from the Fury camp. ‘‘I don’t think I’ll bother.’’ Peter Fury, Hughie’s father and trainer, told World Boxing News website he hoped the fight would go ahead at a later date.

‘‘We will be releasing details of the postponement in an announcement shortly,’’ Fury told WBN. ‘‘However, we are looking to put the fight back on in New Zealand as fast as possible.’’

But Higgins ruled out postponement, saying Duco had authorisation to push on with alternative plans.

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