By Ray Wheatley – World of Boxing
Former WBO heavyweight champion Joseph Parker and WBO#6 Junior Fa will be in action at the Sparks Arena in Auckland New Zealand on December 11. However, Parker recently learned his planned sparring partner, Italian heavyweight Guido Vianello, has been denied a visa to enter New Zealand to help prepare him for the fight.
“We will not put Joseph in the ring against a guy ranked #6 in the world by the WBO without a proper build-up,” manager David Higgins told the New Zealand Herald. “We went through the correct process to have him designated as an essential worker but that was denied on the grounds his skillset is otherwise available in New Zealand.
“I don’t know if they have anybody in that bureaucracy with boxing expertise but that is simply not the case and we have appealed that.”
Stuart Duncan, one of the top matchmakers in Australia and Kevin Barry, Parker’s trainer, have written to the ministry to appeal their case.
Guido Vianello is young, tall and appears to have a natural heavy punch. But you’re telling me that if Guido can’t spar against Parker, the fights off?
Any excuse by Higgins to try and conserve his pay packet for a bit longer.
Should have moved LONG AGO to Las Vegas.
Sport is dead anyway.
Giving up on it ♂️
This type of mismanagement and unorganized nonsense is prime example