Duco's Lonergan blasts 'cry babies' over public funding

Dean Lonergan has blasted the 'cry babies' who criticised Duco for seeking public funding. Photo / Photosport

Duco promoter Dean Lonergan has taken a shot at those who criticised the enterprise for seeking public funding in the lead up to Joseph Parker's world title fight.

Speaking to the Radio Sport Breakfast, Lonergan said that the company had never gone after public funding and that they were simply taking the opportunity to seek extra backers.

"Everyone talks about public funding, we never look for public funding.

"We think we've got something of value, and when we put these events together, we go to the appropriate people and say, 'Listen, here is the value proposition, would you like to come on board or not?'" Lonergan said.

"And for some reason it becomes a political hot potato."

Listen: Dean Lonergan talks to the Radio Sport Breakfast

He also blasted those who criticised the company for going to specific funding organisations, stating the bias against boxing and the usual normality of such an endeavour.

"There's funding organisations that are set up for specifically for this type of thing," Lonergan said.

"But for whatever reason, whenever we get involved or boxing gets involved, it becomes bloody political and people get all cry baby and carry on and make all sort of statements in the media - meaning the people in political power get nervous."

With the outcry on social media following Duco's attempt to catch live streamers, and the price of their pay-per-view options, disgruntled fans have a perception that they are being exploited by the promoting mogul.

But Lonergan reinforced that "at the end of the day, this is a business, big time."

He also stated the companies monetary ambition for Joseph Parker.

"Joseph Parker wants to get paid as much as he possibly can, and that's not a bad thing.

"I'd like to see Joseph walk away from this sport with maybe hundreds of millions of dollars in the bank by the time he's 30, and people might scoff and laugh at that."

"But they also laughed when we said Joseph Parker would hold a heavyweight belt within three and a half years of signing with us."

The Duco promoter also confirmed that the Kiwi's purse from Saturday night was well over $1 million.