Parker-Flores Card Will Have Mandatory Medical Tests

All boxers appearing on Duco Events promotions will now undergo MRI brain scans as part of the pre-fight medical screening process.

Duco Events has previously required fighters to undergo a mandatory CT scan to gain medical clearance to enter the ring.

In a first for boxing in New Zealand, the company will now instead use MRI scanning for all fighters for all future promotions.

“We’ve always taken safety extremely seriously,” says Duco Events director David Higgins. “We’ve very much led the way in requiring CT scans as part of the process to ensure a boxer is fit to enter the ring.

“Having observed recent tragic events in the sport, Duco has now decided to increase the threshold to include a clear MRI scan. The advice we have been given is that an MRI scan will be significantly more effective in detecting any issues that may exist, helping to ensure no boxer unwittingly puts themselves at risk of being injured in the ring. A significant increase in cost of switching from CT to MRI scanning would be absorbed by Duco Events," Higgins said.

“It is an expensive process, but it is everyone’s best interests - boxers, promoters, and fans – that safety in the sport is treated as paramount.

“I’d like to think this would become standard practice in boxing,” Higgins added.

WBO Oriental Heavyweight champion Junior Fa, who will defend his title in a premier undercard bout on December 15 in Christchurch, said he welcomed the move.

“Any move that helps keep boxers safe in the ring is a good one,” Fa said.

“Professional boxers are highly-trained athletes who know how to look after themselves. But in any sport, there is a risk of injury, and this move will help decrease that risk for every boxer that steps into the ring.”

The results of boxers’ MRI scans, as well as a serology report and the results of a physical medical examination, must be submitted to the official event doctor prior to the event. Fighters will also undergo a full medical examination by the event doctor at the weigh-in on the day prior to the event.

“We’re really confident our medical testing is now the gold standard in the industry,” Higgins said. “This isn’t a one-off. This is now the established process for all future Duco boxing promotions. I’d encourage all other promoters out there to adopt the same standards.”

MAIN EVENT

International Heavyweight Contest (10x3 min rounds)

Joseph Parker, NZ 24-2 (18KO) vs. Alexander Flores, USA 17-1-1 (15KO)

MAIN UNDERCARD

Heavyweight Contest - WBO Interim Oriental Heavyweight title fight (10x3 min rounds)

Junior Fa, NZ 15-0 (8KO) vs. Rogelio Omar Rossi, ARG 20-6-1 (13KO)

UNDERCARD

7th TV fight

PRO Box Pacific Welterweight Championship (10x3 min rounds)

Bowyn Morgan, NZ 18-1 (8KO) vs. Sebastian "Sniper" Singh, Fiji 11-2-1 (7KO)

6th TV fight

Cruiserweight (6x3 min rounds)

David Light, NZ 10-0 (7KO) vs. Lance Bryant, NZ 12-4 (5KO)

5th TV fight

Special Heavyweight Attraction (4x3 min rounds)

David ‘Brown Butterbean’ Letele, NZ vs. Manu Vatuvei, NZ (pro debut)

4th TV Fight

NZ Women’s Welterweight Championship (6x2 min rounds)

Megyn McLennan, NZ vs. Michaela Jenkins (NZ Muay Thai Champion)

3rd TV fight

Middleweight (6x3 min rounds)

Andrei Mikhailovich, NZ 6-0 (4KO) vs. Adrian Taihia, NZ 15-4-2 (7KO)

2nd TV fight

Lightweight (6x3 min rounds)

Richie Hadlow, NZ debut vs. Ricky Curline, NZ 0-3

1st TV fight

Heavyweight (4x3 min rounds)

Sam Watts, NZ debut vs. Alistair Boyd, NZ 1-2-2

Pre-broadcast

Heavyweight (3x2 min rounds)

Quintin Poole, NZ v Bjorn Horrack, NZ