10-24-2016, 04:00 PM
Joseph Parker's WBO title fight being switched from New Zealand to United States now looks '70-80%'
Trainer Kevin Barry and New Zealand heavyweight boxer Joseph Parker continue to work at their Las Vegas camp as details for the WBO title fight continue to be negotiated.
Joseph Parker's handlers admit there's now "a 70 to 80 per cent chance" they will hand the rights to his WBO heavyweight title fight to his rival's promoter in the United States.
Duco Events secured the fight against Mexican Andy Ruiz for December 10 in Auckland but, as revealed by Fairfax Media on Monday, the financial enormity of the exercise means they are likely to struggle to pull that off on the tight deadline.
Top Rank in the United States, headed by Ruiz's boss Bob Arum, are standing by to take charge of the deal.
Duco Events co-owner Dean Lonergan says they will give themselves "until the end of ths week or early next week" to try to come up with the funds to make a New Zealand fight work.
"But I'd say right now it's looking 70 to 80 per cent that the fight will go to the US," a frustrated Lonergan said.
"We want to make it happen, we want to give Joe the fight at home, we want to create history in New Zealand, but the fiscal responsibilities are a big deal."
Lonergan said he's "not holding my breath" for government funding to help the project which has the potential for a huge global TV audience.
He had been in ongoing discussions with Arum, keeping the American up to date with their progress while also listening to the alternative options in the US.
In the meantime he continued to try to make the Auckland promotion happen.
Lonergan has a core of sponsors in place and on Tuesday starts a desperate search for additions.
"I've got to go out and get more on board. We have to give this our best shot, so we carry on the drive for backing. We are in the fight business and when the chips are down you fight harder."
Arum believes the promotion can be a major success in the United States where Ruiz can draw on his Hispanic background and popularity, with fans eager to see Ruiz try to win Mexico their first world heavyweight title.
If Arum gets the deal he wants to announce the venue by November 5. He is looking at Las Vegas and California but has also raised the possibility of a stadium production in Texas, at the home of the Dallas Cowboys where a crowd of 80,000 would be possible.
That would give Ruiz a massive advantage.
Arum told Fairfax Media from Las Vegas that if he took on the promotion, he would probably need to move it back to January, a delay that would affect training schedules.
"We would do huge business in the United States with this fight," Arum promised.
"The interest has soared since the fight was announced."
Arum said he had met with Parker and his trainer Kevin Barry and noted their comfort with Las Vegas where Barry was based and Parker trained.
Arum felt a fight in the United States would be huge for Parker in terms of publicity and the 24-year-old's future prospects.
"That being said, I made a commitment to Dean Lonergan that has has first option and, at Top Rank, we are men of our word. So the ball is in Dean's court. But we are ready to do it here if they say it can't be done in New Zealand," Arum said.
- Stuff
Trainer Kevin Barry and New Zealand heavyweight boxer Joseph Parker continue to work at their Las Vegas camp as details for the WBO title fight continue to be negotiated.
Joseph Parker's handlers admit there's now "a 70 to 80 per cent chance" they will hand the rights to his WBO heavyweight title fight to his rival's promoter in the United States.
Duco Events secured the fight against Mexican Andy Ruiz for December 10 in Auckland but, as revealed by Fairfax Media on Monday, the financial enormity of the exercise means they are likely to struggle to pull that off on the tight deadline.
Top Rank in the United States, headed by Ruiz's boss Bob Arum, are standing by to take charge of the deal.
Duco Events co-owner Dean Lonergan says they will give themselves "until the end of ths week or early next week" to try to come up with the funds to make a New Zealand fight work.
"But I'd say right now it's looking 70 to 80 per cent that the fight will go to the US," a frustrated Lonergan said.
"We want to make it happen, we want to give Joe the fight at home, we want to create history in New Zealand, but the fiscal responsibilities are a big deal."
Lonergan said he's "not holding my breath" for government funding to help the project which has the potential for a huge global TV audience.
He had been in ongoing discussions with Arum, keeping the American up to date with their progress while also listening to the alternative options in the US.
In the meantime he continued to try to make the Auckland promotion happen.
Lonergan has a core of sponsors in place and on Tuesday starts a desperate search for additions.
"I've got to go out and get more on board. We have to give this our best shot, so we carry on the drive for backing. We are in the fight business and when the chips are down you fight harder."
Arum believes the promotion can be a major success in the United States where Ruiz can draw on his Hispanic background and popularity, with fans eager to see Ruiz try to win Mexico their first world heavyweight title.
If Arum gets the deal he wants to announce the venue by November 5. He is looking at Las Vegas and California but has also raised the possibility of a stadium production in Texas, at the home of the Dallas Cowboys where a crowd of 80,000 would be possible.
That would give Ruiz a massive advantage.
Arum told Fairfax Media from Las Vegas that if he took on the promotion, he would probably need to move it back to January, a delay that would affect training schedules.
"We would do huge business in the United States with this fight," Arum promised.
"The interest has soared since the fight was announced."
Arum said he had met with Parker and his trainer Kevin Barry and noted their comfort with Las Vegas where Barry was based and Parker trained.
Arum felt a fight in the United States would be huge for Parker in terms of publicity and the 24-year-old's future prospects.
"That being said, I made a commitment to Dean Lonergan that has has first option and, at Top Rank, we are men of our word. So the ball is in Dean's court. But we are ready to do it here if they say it can't be done in New Zealand," Arum said.
- Stuff