09-21-2017, 10:57 AM
David Higgins and Peter Fury make peace as Parker fight night looms video
Peter Fury and David Higgins have made their peace with the British boxing trainer saying there was nothing personal in their ugly spat.
Higgins, the promoter of WBO world heavyweight champion Joseph Parker, was thrown out of the opening press conference of fight week when he angrily confronted Fury over the lack of a neutral referee for Sunday's fight in Manchester (NZT).
Fury, the father and trainer of Parker's opponent Hughie Fury, fired off an expletive-riddled volley of abuse at Higgins as the Kiwi was escorted out of the plush London hotel by security guards.
But with the referee situation now resolved via a compromise – Terry O'Connor has been replaced by Marcus McDonnell – it seems there is no hard feelings from Fury.
He made that clear as Parker's ensemble arrived into his home city of Manchester on Thursday (NZT).
"I spoke to David Higgins, it's all resolved so let's get on with it," Fury said.
"It's not personal, things fire up, there's a lot at stake ... but I've got nothing personal with David Higgins, it's all tongue in cheek stuff."
Fury suggested there would only be one winner if the argument had got physical.
"Me and David are good, me and David are pals and it wouldn't be a fair fight if there was one, he'd be giving away about seven stone," Fury smiled.
Fury said he understood where Higgins was coming from with his beef about the officials, but he defended his side of the bargain.
"The referee situation, that has all been dealt with. The only dispute was that I have no say with any of the officials, it's out of our hands. That was frustrating," Fury said.
"I like David, I like David as a person, I think he's fair. He's only acting in Joe's best interests anyway. He wants the best for his fighter and I can understand that. He's coming over here, the first time his fighter has come away, it's a big ordeal for him. He just wanted it to be fair and I get it, I do get it.
"So I understand. There's not a problem, we have spoke since and we are good mates."
Fury said it was all part of boxing, though times have changed.
"In our day if there's a problem, you get a punch in the face, you punch the guy back and then you go to the pub and you're the best of mates later."
Fury suggested that would be the way between his son and Parker once the dust had settled from their fight.
"There won't be any animosity between the two of them afterwards," Fury said, as he talked up the character of Parker and his family values.
"To be fair, I've always respected Joseph Parker, all of our team like him. We like what we see in Joseph Parker, he fights anybody and that's what we respect. We are fighting people after all, it's a business, but we respect that.
"I met his mother and father. That family thing that they have got, it's a beautiful thing. He's a god-faring young man and that's through his mother and father. They should be very proud of the man they have raised.
"And it's the same with my son. We are a very tight family. You do the best you can for you family."
- Stuff
Peter Fury and David Higgins have made their peace with the British boxing trainer saying there was nothing personal in their ugly spat.
Higgins, the promoter of WBO world heavyweight champion Joseph Parker, was thrown out of the opening press conference of fight week when he angrily confronted Fury over the lack of a neutral referee for Sunday's fight in Manchester (NZT).
Fury, the father and trainer of Parker's opponent Hughie Fury, fired off an expletive-riddled volley of abuse at Higgins as the Kiwi was escorted out of the plush London hotel by security guards.
But with the referee situation now resolved via a compromise – Terry O'Connor has been replaced by Marcus McDonnell – it seems there is no hard feelings from Fury.
He made that clear as Parker's ensemble arrived into his home city of Manchester on Thursday (NZT).
"I spoke to David Higgins, it's all resolved so let's get on with it," Fury said.
"It's not personal, things fire up, there's a lot at stake ... but I've got nothing personal with David Higgins, it's all tongue in cheek stuff."
Fury suggested there would only be one winner if the argument had got physical.
"Me and David are good, me and David are pals and it wouldn't be a fair fight if there was one, he'd be giving away about seven stone," Fury smiled.
Fury said he understood where Higgins was coming from with his beef about the officials, but he defended his side of the bargain.
"The referee situation, that has all been dealt with. The only dispute was that I have no say with any of the officials, it's out of our hands. That was frustrating," Fury said.
"I like David, I like David as a person, I think he's fair. He's only acting in Joe's best interests anyway. He wants the best for his fighter and I can understand that. He's coming over here, the first time his fighter has come away, it's a big ordeal for him. He just wanted it to be fair and I get it, I do get it.
"So I understand. There's not a problem, we have spoke since and we are good mates."
Fury said it was all part of boxing, though times have changed.
"In our day if there's a problem, you get a punch in the face, you punch the guy back and then you go to the pub and you're the best of mates later."
Fury suggested that would be the way between his son and Parker once the dust had settled from their fight.
"There won't be any animosity between the two of them afterwards," Fury said, as he talked up the character of Parker and his family values.
"To be fair, I've always respected Joseph Parker, all of our team like him. We like what we see in Joseph Parker, he fights anybody and that's what we respect. We are fighting people after all, it's a business, but we respect that.
"I met his mother and father. That family thing that they have got, it's a beautiful thing. He's a god-faring young man and that's through his mother and father. They should be very proud of the man they have raised.
"And it's the same with my son. We are a very tight family. You do the best you can for you family."
- Stuff