02-18-2021, 01:36 PM
Organisers make Covid contingency plans Joseph Parker v Junior Fa
11:50, Feb 18 2021
Former world heavyweight champion Joseph Parker vows to knock out Junior Fa when they meet later this month.
Next week's all-Kiwi heavyweight boxing showdown between Joseph Parker and Junior Fa will be rescheduled if Auckland does not move to Covid alert level 1, organisers confirmed.
Following the Government's decision to move Auckland down to level 2 from midnight Wednesday, promoters Duco Events are pushing ahead with plans to hold the much-anticipated bout at Spark Arena next Saturday.
Joseph Parker and Junior Fa are due to meet in the ring on February 27.
However, should the city not shift down another alert level when the Government makes its next announcement on Monday, the event will be postponed.
"If for any reason the Government does not move Auckland into Covid Alert Level 1 on Monday night, we will be making an announcement on Tuesday 23 February that will see the event rescheduled into March / April," a Duco statement said.
Under level 2, social gatherings are limited to 100 people. With Duco banking on a large crowd filling Spark Arena, which has a 12,000 capacity, to fulfil revenue demands of the seven-figure fight purse, the event can only take place at level 1.
Should the current situation be extended into next week, it would not be the first time the first pro bout between the former amateur rivals would have been rescheduled.
Parker and Fa, who split their four previous fights 2-2, were initially due to meet last December, but that was delayed after blood tests revealed Fa required an operation for an undisclosed health issue.
This week's snap lockdown has already caused some disruption to the build-up, with Thursday night's open training session moved to next Wednesday.
But the drop to level 2 has instilled optimism across Auckland that the latest Covid cases have been contained, and that the city can join the rest of the country at level 1 when cabinet reviews the alert levels again on Monday.
11:50, Feb 18 2021
Former world heavyweight champion Joseph Parker vows to knock out Junior Fa when they meet later this month.
Next week's all-Kiwi heavyweight boxing showdown between Joseph Parker and Junior Fa will be rescheduled if Auckland does not move to Covid alert level 1, organisers confirmed.
Following the Government's decision to move Auckland down to level 2 from midnight Wednesday, promoters Duco Events are pushing ahead with plans to hold the much-anticipated bout at Spark Arena next Saturday.
Joseph Parker and Junior Fa are due to meet in the ring on February 27.
However, should the city not shift down another alert level when the Government makes its next announcement on Monday, the event will be postponed.
"If for any reason the Government does not move Auckland into Covid Alert Level 1 on Monday night, we will be making an announcement on Tuesday 23 February that will see the event rescheduled into March / April," a Duco statement said.
Under level 2, social gatherings are limited to 100 people. With Duco banking on a large crowd filling Spark Arena, which has a 12,000 capacity, to fulfil revenue demands of the seven-figure fight purse, the event can only take place at level 1.
Should the current situation be extended into next week, it would not be the first time the first pro bout between the former amateur rivals would have been rescheduled.
Parker and Fa, who split their four previous fights 2-2, were initially due to meet last December, but that was delayed after blood tests revealed Fa required an operation for an undisclosed health issue.
This week's snap lockdown has already caused some disruption to the build-up, with Thursday night's open training session moved to next Wednesday.
But the drop to level 2 has instilled optimism across Auckland that the latest Covid cases have been contained, and that the city can join the rest of the country at level 1 when cabinet reviews the alert levels again on Monday.