If These Are Duco's Last Days, What Does Kiwi Heavyweight Joseph Parker Do Now?

When the first round was over at the Vodafone Events Centre in Manukau last Saturday, the crowd knew that, even in victory, Joseph Parker had already failed.

With the eyes of the heavyweight boxing on him, Parker - the reigning WBO world champion and hometown hero – needed to dispatch Romanian lump Razvan Cojanu quickly and comprehensively.

He couldn't. Parker and Cojanu – who'd taken the fight on less than two weeks notice after Brit Hughie Fury mysteriously dropped out last minute – dragged the bout on for eleven more rounds.

The Kiwi, of course, won in a unanimous decision – but that wasn't the point. The week before, Anthony Joshua and Wladimir Klitschko had produced a heavyweight epic in London. Now, Parker needed a statement. The boxing world – particularly the big promoters and opponents in the UK where the fight was broadcast live - didn't get it.

The Daily Telegraph said Parker "failed to impress" and that "the New Zealander did not look particularly explosive in winning on all three cards and his performance is unlikely to rattle Joshua too much."

"Though he remains unbeaten in 23 fights," the BBC wrote, "the manner of this win may make Parker a tougher sell for the pay-per-view audiences overseas."

Parker's trainer Kevin Barry tried to talk up Cojanu's ability and their lack of preparation, in camp, for his ungainly style – but that struggles to wash. The big Romanian had precious little time to get ready himself, was jerked around by Parker's promoters – and took a world champion twelve rounds, despite employing a totally boring, unengaged strategy in the ring.

"The champion was running," Cojanu – whose negative style certainly doesn't make him a hero in this tale - told media after the bout. "I respect him, but he was running like a chicken."

Kiwi media tried to blow on the coals – "a frustrating, awkward but ultimately successful night for Parker," the New Zealand Herald reported – but few people were buying it.

With the British boxing community turned off their televisions and shaking their heads over the weekend, last Saturday was a step backwards for Parker. Fury's fault for sure - and the Tyson's cousin will surely pay the price with his career trajectory - but the Big Kiwi will foot the bill.

The Parker camp went into last Saturday with massive disruption looming, whatever the bout's result.

According to the NZ Herald, Parker's promoters – Duco Events – are headed for a major split. Duco co-directors Dean Lonergan and David Higgins have fallen out, deciding they can "no longer work together, that the feelings are mutual and that the short-term future of Parker remains up in the air."

The NZ Herald went on to report that both Lonergan and Higgins have engaged in legal representation, in preparation for what could be a hugely significant split for many aspects of Australasian sport.

Duco run the NRL Auckland Nines, as well as the Brisbane Global Rugby Tens, as well as managing Australian boxer Jeff Horn, who is preparing for his July 2 fight with legendary veteran Manny Pacquiao. Who knows what could happen for those.

Obviously the big unknown now is Parker, whose contract with Duco is due to run out next year. There is probably little incentive for Parker to stay with a Kiwi promoter.

While the Cojanu fight was a flop, his title and name have ensured he'll get a fight with the likes of Joshua, Klitschko, Tony Bellew or Deontay Wilder in the next year. Both Bellew and Wilder have already called him out.

That fight will be on American or British soil, so it makes sense that a Yank or Pom takes up the reigns now. Vegas International Boxing Hall of Fame promoter Bob Arum has been suggested, as has England's razor sharp Eddie Hearn.

With the Duco wheels coming off, sponsors are starting to think twice to about the Parker boxing story. Burger King tied its colours to the boxer's mast long ago; famously making social media hay with their $1 Whopper deal after the Andy Ruiz Jr fight last December. Yet they recently pulled pin, taking their estimated NZ$350,000 per fight commitment with them.

The Kiwi pay-per-view audience is similarly waning. The Parker-Cojanu fight cost NZ$50 to watch on SKY TV, which was $15 more than the Anthony-Klitschko instant classic. Yep, Fury pulled pin late – but Kiwi viewers haven't been treated to an entertaining Parker scrap since he beat Carlos Takam last May.

Ten Kiwis are facing prosecution for streaming last Saturday's fight illegally. Given its nature, they might be regretting their decision to do it.

Despite all the hubris, you have to feel sorry for Parker. He's a polite, well-mannered bloke with a skill that deservedly puts him in boxing's top echelon. The breathless media hyperbole around him – which Cojanu referenced post-fight last weekend - is beyond his control, as is the Duco break-up and Fury pulling the stumps on him.

The rubber is really meeting the road now though. Parker names a fight against one of the big names now to rebuild his reputation, before the call-up to the much talked about unifying title scrap against, most likely, Joshua. Klitschko still seems the man to target here. Though aging, he's still got the skills – as evidenced against Joshua – and profile to warrant a whooping payday in Las Vegas or London.

Nothing can be done about last weekend, now. The Parker camp will be happy to forget and move on. The opportunity missed for the truly likable Kiwi is a really disappointing one, though.

Controversial Kiwi columnist Chris Rattue probably summed it up the best.

"Parker won a very close decision over humble Mexican Andy Ruiz [last December] to take the WBO crown, and now battled to beat a nobody in a south Auckland hall while the world marvels over the Anthony Joshua-Wladimir Klitschko showdown.

"Parker needed to knock Cojanu out, or at least rip him apart. So why didn't he?"