Joseph Parker Facebook livestreamers fined

  • 09/12/2016
Joseph Parker's fight against Solomon Haumono was watched by thousands on Facebook (Photosport)
Joseph Parker's fight against Solomon Haumono was watched by thousands on Facebook (Photosport)

Seven people have been fined after livestreaming heavyweight boxer Joseph Parker's fight against Solomon Haumono.

A judge ruled each defendant had infringed SKY TV's copyright when they streamed the July bout on Facebook.

Duco chief executive Martin Snedden says the ruling sends a message to anyone thinking about illegally streaming Parker's fight against Andy Ruiz on Saturday night.

"This is our property, it is theft to take it, and the law will stand beside us. From our point of view, it's a fantastic outcome for us."

Each defendant must delete or destroy copies of the fight, pay nominal damages of $100 and costs of $2670.

"The court judgement will act as a real deterrent to those people who might have been thinking about trying to illegally stream the fight," says Mr Snedden.

Duco says it will try and win higher damages against anyone who livestreams the Parker-Ruiz fight, and will have a 12-strong dedicated team working on the night to detect any illegal activity.

"We may well look at those things over the weekend and say well, if we feel like we can prove we've suffered loss because of the actions of these people, then we'll chase them for whatever we think it is that we've lost."

Mr Snedden says Duco now has Facebook's support in clamping down on livestreaming.

Duco estimates 100,000 people watched the Parker-Haumono fight on Facebook.

Another seven people are facing court after allegedly streaming Parker's fight with Alexander Dimitrenko in October.

Newshub.