British boxer Hughie Fury's camp have fired back at critics saying they are adamant he is injured, while accusing opponent Joseph Parker and promoter Duco of trying to move the fight to England.
The claims come just days after Fury pulled out of the May 6 clash in Auckland due to a back injury.
While Parker's promoters have confirmed that American Dominic Breazeale is one of the options to step up and take Fury's place, the Fury camp indicated they'd still love a shot at Parker at a later date.
"Hughie has suffered a reoccurrence of an injury he first picked up in Holland a year ago ... He tried to work through it and he's had a lot of physio but it's like having constant toothache in his back," Peter Fury wrote in The Mirror.
"There have been comments from Parker's team suggesting we never wanted the fight in the first place, but I can reveal they came over to us a few weeks ago to try to move the fight to England. We have written evidence of us saying 'let's stop messing around and get on with May 6.'
"It was they who were trying to move the fight, even after preparations were already underway. The date had been set but they said they had spent too much money on the fight and that it wouldn't work in New Zealand.
"So I'm surprised that they've come out with that."
"As far as we're concerned, we'll still take the fight to New Zealand. We spent more than $30,000 on immigration lawyers both here and in New Zealand to make sure I could be in Hughie's corner, so much for us not wanting to go to New Zealand."
The pair called off Hughie's fight following an alleged back injury. Photo / Getty
Duco has now turned its efforts to finding and confirming a new opponent for the May 6 event, with Breazeale the likely heavyweight to have a go at Parker's WBO heavyweight title.
The 31-year-old, who goes by the nickname "Trouble", has signalled his willingness to fight Parker and would appear to fit the bill.
Breazeale is ranked No 6 by the WBO, which has demanded the now voluntary defence be against a fighter in the organisation's top 15, has the height that Parker had been preparing for against Fury, and in February knocked out Parker's friend and stablemate Izu Ugonoh.
Duco's David Higgins told the Herald he hoped to make an announcement on Wednesday morning, saying Breazeale was one of "several" possibilities, adding he wasn't surprised at the interest in the fight despite the long-haul flight and lack of preparation time.
"Any heavyweight worth their salt, dreams of fighting for the heavyweight championship of the world," Higgins said.
"If someone offers you a six-figure sum and a title shot there will be a lot of takers. We need to look for someone who has been in camp because Joseph wants a challenge and thankfully we've got a few options."
Breazeale has only lost once as a professional, which was during his IBF title fight against Anthony Joshua where the Brit knocked him out in the seventh round.
Parker's new opponent is expected to be announced Wednesday. Photo / Getty
Higgins did have one parting shot for Fury and his promoters, telling the Herald: "If we continue we're putting on an opponent at least as good as Hughie Fury, if not better. And it's a world heavyweight championship defence."
He added: "Frank Warren [Fury's promoter] is talking in the media as if this fight is going to happen later in the year offshore. It's flabbergasting - he's saying that without even having spoken to us, so I'm furious.
"There will be some politicking going on - they're probably going to cling to the mandatory and we'll go through the proper process and request medical evidence and so on.
