03-24-2017, 08:02 PM
Peter Fury, trainer of Hughie Fury, granted entry to New Zealand for Joseph Parker's world heavyweight title defence
Peter Fury has been granted a special direction allowing him to enter New Zealand for Joseph Parker's world heavyweight title fight.
Fury, who trains Parker's challenger, son Hughie, had been declined entry to New Zealand on character grounds, linked to two previous stints in prison for drug related offences.
However, on Friday evening Associate Minister of Immigration David Bennett decided to grant a special direction, giving Fury a visitor visa to New Zealand.
Things will be much easier for Hughie Fury, having his father and trainer in the country for his fight against Joseph Parker.
The visa is for the period of March 28 - May 10, which allows Fury to be in New Zealand for a month of preparation before the world title fight on May 6 in Auckland.
"This is a national sporting event with worldwide interest, and Mr Fury is the trainer of Hughie Fury," Bennett said.
David Bennett, Associate Minister of Immigration, has granted Peter Fury a visitor visa.
"While the decision to decline the initial application was correct according to Immigration New Zealand instruction, in this case, under section 17 of the Immigration Act 2009, I am granting a special direction to grant the visitor visa to Mr Fury."
Duco Events boss David Higgins said it was a "sound decision".
"He's no risk," Higgins said. "He's devoted himself to training world champion boxers for the past 10 years, as evidence with Tyson Fury defeating Wladimir Klitschko for the world heavyweight title."
Higgins said conventional wisdom states that opposing camps "hate each other", but that the Parker camp is pleased the Fury's will be together for the bout.
"May they have a good camp and may the best man win."
It is understood the Fury's will base themselves in Auckland for up to a month before the May 6 title fight, and Tyson Fury himself may also come to New Zealand in order to help cousin Hughie Fury with training.
The reason for dismissing Peter Fury's initial request for entry was down to his chequered past.
He was handed a 10-year jail sentence in 1995 for possession and intent to supply amphetamine – only to continue orchestrating his business from behind bars. In 2008 he received another two years for drug-related money laundering.
Five years ago a court ordered him to pay back the assets and funds he had hidden from the court.
As such, Immigration New Zealand declined his application to enter New Zealand on what they called "character grounds".
Fury and his team had been silent since that ruling on Wednesday, instead working with lawyers in New Zealand and the United Kingdom to appeal.
This wasn't the first time Peter Fury had faced issues trying to get into a country.
In 2013 his application for a visa into the United States was knocked back by authorities due to those two prison terms and he was forced to watch his nephew Tyson Fury's fight against Steve Cunningham from Canada, rather than work the corner at New York's Madison Square Garden.
- Stuff
Peter Fury has been granted a special direction allowing him to enter New Zealand for Joseph Parker's world heavyweight title fight.
Fury, who trains Parker's challenger, son Hughie, had been declined entry to New Zealand on character grounds, linked to two previous stints in prison for drug related offences.
However, on Friday evening Associate Minister of Immigration David Bennett decided to grant a special direction, giving Fury a visitor visa to New Zealand.
Things will be much easier for Hughie Fury, having his father and trainer in the country for his fight against Joseph Parker.
The visa is for the period of March 28 - May 10, which allows Fury to be in New Zealand for a month of preparation before the world title fight on May 6 in Auckland.
"This is a national sporting event with worldwide interest, and Mr Fury is the trainer of Hughie Fury," Bennett said.
David Bennett, Associate Minister of Immigration, has granted Peter Fury a visitor visa.
"While the decision to decline the initial application was correct according to Immigration New Zealand instruction, in this case, under section 17 of the Immigration Act 2009, I am granting a special direction to grant the visitor visa to Mr Fury."
Duco Events boss David Higgins said it was a "sound decision".
"He's no risk," Higgins said. "He's devoted himself to training world champion boxers for the past 10 years, as evidence with Tyson Fury defeating Wladimir Klitschko for the world heavyweight title."
Higgins said conventional wisdom states that opposing camps "hate each other", but that the Parker camp is pleased the Fury's will be together for the bout.
"May they have a good camp and may the best man win."
It is understood the Fury's will base themselves in Auckland for up to a month before the May 6 title fight, and Tyson Fury himself may also come to New Zealand in order to help cousin Hughie Fury with training.
The reason for dismissing Peter Fury's initial request for entry was down to his chequered past.
He was handed a 10-year jail sentence in 1995 for possession and intent to supply amphetamine – only to continue orchestrating his business from behind bars. In 2008 he received another two years for drug-related money laundering.
Five years ago a court ordered him to pay back the assets and funds he had hidden from the court.
As such, Immigration New Zealand declined his application to enter New Zealand on what they called "character grounds".
Fury and his team had been silent since that ruling on Wednesday, instead working with lawyers in New Zealand and the United Kingdom to appeal.
This wasn't the first time Peter Fury had faced issues trying to get into a country.
In 2013 his application for a visa into the United States was knocked back by authorities due to those two prison terms and he was forced to watch his nephew Tyson Fury's fight against Steve Cunningham from Canada, rather than work the corner at New York's Madison Square Garden.
- Stuff