Rival boxing camps settle verbal feud
Parker and Fury will slug it out in ring tomorrow after earlier colourful outbursts
Title- holder Joseph Parker and England title challenger Hughie Fury will slug it out for the WBO world heavyweight belt tomorrow — but their camps have kissed and made up after a verbal slug- fest.
The build- up to Parker’s second title defence in Manchester has been dominated by chaotic scenes at a midweek press conference in London which saw Parker’s promoter, David Higgins, evicted by security after a battle of words with Fury and his father and trainer, Peter Fury.
Higgins had approached the top table complaining about the choice of referee for the fight, later telling journalists he had downed a couple of drinks before the exchange.
Hughie Fury labelled him “snow white”, while Peter Fury delivered several expletive- laden rants, adding Higgins was “squealing like a pig”.
Peter Fury told the Weekend Herald he regretted the nature of the outburst, but said professional boxing wasn’t for the faint- hearted.
“We wind each other up,” he said. “It’s the norm in boxing, there is a lot of banter. A lot of people get upset with the things I say but it’s not what I mean at all.”
He now understood where Higgins was coming from, but didn’t appreciate the way he chose to get his views across.
“Well, I wasn’t too happy with it,” he said. “But it was done on the spur of the moment and it was a bit of anxiety from David trying to get the best for his fighter.”
Higgins told the Weekend Herald his antics were “deliberate”, to get exposure for the fight and have Terry O’Connor replaced as ref. That was confirmed on Thursday.
Higgins said he was happy to take reaction on the chin despite being this week’s “walking headline”.
“In boxing you have to have a thick skin. When I was younger I used to care but once you’ve been through so many battles you figure what’s important in your life — family, friends, loyalty. You can’t control what other people think.”
And he stood by his press conference comments.
“I make no apologies for fighting [ for] a level playing field for Joseph Parker,” he said.
“I make no apologies for highlighting the hypocrisies of the British boxing board in trying to get an impartial referee. I make no apologies for fighting for some equality on the map.
“People know about the fight, they will watch it and talk about it and follow Joe’s career. Have I ruffled a few feathers? Probably.
“But I make no apologies because my heart is in the right place and I am doing my job.”
He said his partner Augustina Mon, who is in the UK with him, had been “wonderful and bloody supportive”.
Peter Fury is one of the most colourful figures in the UK boxing scene. He has previously served prison time for possession and intent to supply drugs, as well as money laundering.
His criminal past almost saw him barred from entering New Zealand for an earlier planned, but subsequently canned, bout between his son and Parker.
“I don’t hide my past but everybody has a past — so everybody should own up to it and accept what they do,” he said.
“I am not proud of my past — it is regrettable.
“I’d like to say ‘ Hello’ New Zealand. You have a lovely country. I haven’t been. I’d love to come but I don’t think I’m allowed.” Parker: I could see fear in Fury’s eyes