Duco Events' promoter Dean Lonergan has commended the Government for moving quickly on considering whether to host Joseph Parker's heavyweight world title bout on Kiwi shores.
The comments come after Newshub revealed the Government held Cabinet discussions about putting up taxpayer cash to keep Parker's WBO stoush in New Zealand on Tuesday.
Mr Lonergan says he's looking forward to receiving a letter of confirmation and a terms sheet from the Government, and says he has high hopes that what they send through is "a good solution".
Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce outlined one potential condition: that if Duco, a private company, makes a profit, it would have to pay the taxpayer back.
"It depends on the agreement that we sign," he said.
"That is something that we could consider in this instance - for example, in the Under-20 World Cup they made some money and some of it was returned to taxpayers [and] some of it was returned to promotion of the football code in New Zealand."
Mr Lonergan says even if there were a similar set-up this time around, Duco may still go for it as it would mitigate risk - but he won't comment further until he's able to look at terms and conditions.
More of an issue is whether the Government will ultimately go for it - with Mr Joyce saying on Tuesday that it's not a done deal.
"We're just literally not interested in funding somebody just because they turn up and ask for it - it's got to be about something that otherwise wouldn't happen. We're not interested in just paying somebody for an event that they're already going to run."
Mr Lonergan says despite a fight being held in Texas likely to be more financially lucrative, Duco are more concerned with having it on home soil than they are with any monetary reward.
"If the fight went to Texas it'd be out of our control, and we'd just be turning up to fight on the night and we don't get any home advantage whatsoever," he said.
Police Minister Judith Collins is not involved in the talks because she has a conflict of interest as Parker's 'aunty' - he is the cousin of her husband, David Wong Tung.
Newshub.
