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Boxing
Joseph Parker vs. Junior Fa hit by judges row
Click here to watch Parker vs. Fa on DAZN
New Zealand fighters Joseph Parker and Junior Fa are involved in a dispute over the judges for their heavyweight fight this weekend, to be shown live on DAZN in the UK, the U.S., and in over 200 countries worldwide.
Parker, a former WBO champion, will take on his younger challenger Fa in Auckland on Saturday (Sunday morning in the UK), but there is a disagreement over the officials to be used.
Mark Kedeell - Fa's manager - believes that Parker could be given preferential treatment by judges based in Christchurch given rival trainer Kevin Barry's background in Christchurch.
"We looked at the list of judges," explained Keddell. "The Barry family are a very successful Christchurch family, and we just thought there was a couple of Auckland boys fighting, so we should have Auckland judges. We felt pretty strongly about that."
Barry strongly dismissed the claims brought on by Kendall.
"It's quite flattering what they are saying about my influence in Christchurch, Barry said at the press conference ahead of the fight. "I left Christchurch in 1992. I haven't lived in Christchurch or New Zealand for nearly three decades. The fact that I have all this influence with the officials in Christchurch is really laughable."
