BoxRec

Terry O'Connor has been replaced as the referee for this weekend's WBO World Heavyweight title fight between champion Joseph Parker and challenger Hughie Fury in Manchester.

O'Connor will instead tend to matters outside the ring acting as a judge with Marcus McDonnell stepping in to replace O'Connor.

The news comes after Parker's promoters Duco Boxing vented their annoyance at O'Connor being the man in charge on the night. Duco's David Higgins took one step further yesterday and confronted Hughie's father and trainer Peter Fury at a press conference which ended in Higgins being removed by security and Peter launching verbal expletives at Higgins.

Higgins' efforts have finally paid off and told stuff.co.nz "There has been a lot of drama about the officials for this fight and quietly behind the scenes we have been writing good letters to the organisations and we have been offered a compromise by the BBBoC which we will accept."

"Is that ideal? Maybe not but look, it's good ... at least the referee is not the same guy that did Hughie's last two fights. I'm really happy and relieved that change has been made. I think it's an OK outcome.

"I'd like to thank the BBBoC for taking that position. I think regardless, the officials are going to be under a lot of scrutiny anywhere because of all the fuss."

The fight will be judged by O'Connor and two Americans but Higgins relentless pursuit of changing officials hasn't stopped with the referee. He has also written to the WBO looking for the appointment of a judge from New Zealand for what will be Parker's third world title defence.

Higgins is waiting on word back from the WBO and said: ""If there is a Kiwi to offset the Brits, that would be fine."

Marcus McDonnell was the third man in the ring for last Saturday's WBO World Middleweight title fight between Billy Joe Saunders and Willie Monroe Jr. Tthis weekend's world title bout will be the fourth he has refereed in 2017.

McDonnell is a far better ref.

I'm sure Terry will not let any bitterness from being removed affect his judging.

Boxerbeetle wrote:McDonnell is a far better ref.

Thank goodness.
You have to be wary of anything W@rren/ Fury related. This time they didn't get it all their own way. Might not change the out come but in my opinion the playing field is a lot more level.

SaadOffTheDeck wrote:I'm sure Terry will not let any bitterness from being removed affect his judging.

Saad!
I'm going to run out of sticky plasters if you keep bursting my balloon like that!

SaadOffTheDeck wrote:I'm sure Terry will not let any bitterness from being removed affect his judging.

It beggars belief that this is a satisfactory resolution. It's worse!

Tomasino wrote:

SaadOffTheDeck wrote:I'm sure Terry will not let any bitterness from being removed affect his judging.

It beggars belief that this is a satisfactory resolution. It's worse!

it really is. I've never seen anything like it.

as bad a judge as he is a ref, how f.....g stupid are parkers team to be celebrating it, now o connor has more power to screw parker and more reason to do it

Big Tel is even more dangerous outside the ring!

The Judges wont be needed
Parker has 18 KO'S IN 23
Fury has 10 KO'S IN 20
Fury doesn't posses KO power in one shot.
he stops his opponents with 6 or 7 overhand rights.
therefore With Parkers chin he wont ko Parker.
but Parker will stop Fury in 5 rounds..

How is McDonnell more neutral than O'Connor?
And with the best of intentions it will now be hard for Terry to score close rounds to Parker.

When a boxing organisation appoint officials, they surely have taken everything into consideration and believe they've made the correct choice. For that organisation to back down is admission they got it wrong in the first place.
Can you imagine a football match where one of the teams objects to a referee and the FA agrees to a change. It simply ridiculous. If the Board chose Terry O'Connor, who does referee most heavyweight title bouts in this country, then that should be that.
To then appoint him as a judge is very unsatisfactory for all concerned. As the last post suggests, his judgement in a close round has to be suspect. He's been put in a no-win situation.

BIGDOUG58 wrote:The Judges wont be needed
Parker has 18 KO'S IN 23
Fury has 10 KO'S IN 20
Fury doesn't posses KO power in one shot.
he stops his opponents with 6 or 7 overhand rights.
therefore With Parkers chin he wont ko Parker.
but Parker will stop Fury in 5 rounds..

So why couldn't Parker stop his sparring partner in his last fight who couldn't punch either?

SaadOffTheDeck wrote:I'm sure Terry will not let any bitterness from being removed affect his judging.

He'll be lubing up and polishing his wee fat cock already in anticipation of the shafting he's gonna deliver to team Parker

SaadOffTheDeck wrote:I'm sure Terry will not let any bitterness from being removed affect his judging.

Post of the month.

Seriously, how can someone who has been deemed not fit to referee the fight then be allowed to judge the fight?

I can see plenty of rounds in this fight being close, how on earth is TOC going to be an impartial judge when he knows team Parker believe he would not have been up to the task of being the referee for this fight.

What are team Parker thinking if they are agreeing to this compromise?

It's hard enough to win a fight away from home yet alone with one judge who is almost guaranteed to give all the close rounds to the home fighter.

digzee wrote:

BIGDOUG58 wrote:The Judges wont be needed
Parker has 18 KO'S IN 23
Fury has 10 KO'S IN 20
Fury doesn't posses KO power in one shot.
he stops his opponents with 6 or 7 overhand rights.
therefore With Parkers chin he wont ko Parker.
but Parker will stop Fury in 5 rounds..

So why couldn't Parker stop his sparring partner in his last fight who couldn't punch either?

Because they are bezzie mates.

belta53 wrote:What are team Parker thinking if they are agreeing to this compromise?

The only thing which makes sense is that they think Parker will KO Fury.

I remember in the first Crolla fight against Linares. Crolla started to get hurt to the body from Linares. I thought Linares was going to get the stoppage. Until Terry started to warn him for none existent low blows. (my opinion on fight night. I concede I could be wrong)

Then I had a large bet on Liam Williams to beat Liam Smith. Williams was ahead on the scorecards until Smith deliberately headbutted him splitting his eye. Good old Terry ruled it a punch. So instead of winning my bet by a technical decision. I lost because of a stoppage.

I think that's some of the reasons they rather him judge than referee. Although they'd rather him not be anywhere near the fight. Marcus McDonnell is better than Terry but he's still British. So they still have a British referee and a British judge. Which in 2017 should not be happening but will continue to do so.

I've seen so many articles about the GGG vs Alvarez fight. Boxing will kill itself if it continues down this path. Even the causal fans have waded into the dark side of boxing.

belta53 wrote:Seriously, how can someone who has been deemed not fit to referee the fight then be allowed to judge the fight?

I can see plenty of rounds in this fight being close, how on earth is TOC going to be an impartial judge when he knows team Parker believe he would not have been up to the task of being the referee for this fight.

What are team Parker thinking if they are agreeing to this compromise?

It's hard enough to win a fight away from home yet alone with one judge who is almost guaranteed to give all the close rounds to the home fighter.

You are making a lot of sense there

Bizarre turn of events.

Team Parker were right to be as vocal as possible at this point, the officials should realise there will be more of a story afterwards if something dodgy goes on.

Nightmare Roy wrote:

digzee wrote:

BIGDOUG58 wrote:The Judges wont be needed
Parker has 18 KO'S IN 23
Fury has 10 KO'S IN 20
Fury doesn't posses KO power in one shot.
he stops his opponents with 6 or 7 overhand rights.
therefore With Parkers chin he wont ko Parker.
but Parker will stop Fury in 5 rounds..

So why couldn't Parker stop his sparring partner in his last fight who couldn't punch either?

Because they are bezzie mates.

Sounds like the Mayweather fans who defended the Berto fight as a 'buddy fight'.

BIGDOUG58 wrote:The Judges wont be needed
Parker has 18 KO'S IN 23
Fury has 10 KO'S IN 20
Fury doesn't posses KO power in one shot.
he stops his opponents with 6 or 7 overhand rights.
therefore With Parkers chin he wont ko Parker.
but Parker will stop Fury in 5 rounds..

Parker could not stop or even hurt neither of his 2 high level opponents. knocking over some stiffs means nothing. Judges will be very much needed.

digzee wrote:

Nightmare Roy wrote:

digzee wrote: So why couldn't Parker stop his sparring partner in his last fight who couldn't punch either?

Because they are bezzie mates.

Sounds like the Mayweather fans who defended the Berto fight as a 'buddy fight'.

It was though

Since I would be highly surprised if this ends in a KO, this would only give him more power, but whatever, that's just me thinking I guess.

Can someone please confirm what is the latest on the officials for this fight?

I notice the boxrec page has Marcus McDonnell listed as the referee and only one judge named - Terry O'Connor.