Boxing: Lance Revill quits NZPBA post due to Joseph Parker fight backlash

Former New Zealand amateur and professional boxing champion Lance Revill with a silver boxing cup that he won as an amateur in 1973. Photo / Paul Estcourt.

Lance Revill has quit as president of the New Zealand Professional Boxing Association, a position he has held for more than a decade, following criticism from its members over his reaction to Joseph Parker's WBO world heavyweight title fight victory against Andy Ruiz Jr.

Revill was ringside at the fight at Vector Arena in November as New Zealander Parker won a close 12-round fight by majority decision and was extremely vocal in his opinion that Mexican Ruiz Jr in fact won, saying the judges' decision was "bull****" and "embarrassing".

"When I made a comment about Joseph Parker losing his last fight, and I still stick by that, I was getting criticised by members of my own association who were saying 'Lance is out of line' and saying I shouldn't be saying that as president," Revill told the Herald. "Well, if I can't say it as president, who can say it?

"I want to be able to say what I like and speak my mind because I don't like the way boxing has been run at the moment."

John Conway, the former NZPBA vice-president, has been appointed president until the association's annual meeting in four months.

"I still regard myself as a senior official there, and I'm the only one, apart from John Conway, who has been a professional boxer and come through the amateur ranks," Revill said. "I'm an international judge and referee and I feel as though I've achieved most things I've set out to do."

In December, Revill withdrew from the WBO-supported Professional Boxing Commission International which put on the Parker v Ruiz fight in protest at the result.

One of the independent judges scored the fight a 114-114 draw and the other two 115-113 in favour of Parker.

The 25-year-old Parker is slated to defend his title against Englishman Hughie Fury on April 1, but the venue has yet to be announced.

Parker's promoters Duco Events won the purse bid, guaranteeing their fighter a payday of more than $2million and potential home advantage. Auckland's Vector Arena is the favourite, but Manchester and Singapore are also options as Duco weigh up the financial risks.