Joseph Parker's promoters Duco Events have committed to putting all boxers appearing on their cards through MRI brain scans – starting with their next event in Christchurch on December 15.
Duco Events have previously required fighters to undergo a mandatory
CT scan to gain medical clearance to enter the ring. Parker's younger brother, John, was withdrawn from a fight in London in July after a regulation pre-fight scan found he had a brain aneurysm – a small tear in a blood vessel.
David Higgins' company is committing to the more thorough MRI scan in order to try to mitigate the risks in this most dangerous of sports. Recently the New Zealand Medical Council called for an immediate ban on boxing after a series of deaths in the sport, including that of Christchurch man Kain Parsons, who died after a charity event.
"We've always taken safety extremely seriously," Higgins said.
"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.