Duco Events

Duco Events is a New Zealand event-promotions company founded in 2004 by entrepreneur David Higgins and production executive John McRae. The business has operated across several forms of live entertainment, including celebrity dinners, charity fundraisers, corporate galas, rugby and cricket fixtures, and professional boxing. It is also known as Duco Boxing or simply Duco when discussed in connection with its combat-sports activities. The company’s most visible early sporting achievement was the promotion of David Tua versus Shane Cameron, staged on 3 October 2009 after an injury-related postponement. The event became a significant New Zealand boxing occasion and established Duco as a substantial domestic promoter. Duco subsequently built a boxing roster that included Joseph Parker, Robert Berridge, Jeff Horn, Izuagbe Ugonoh and David Letele. Parker became the company’s central sporting property: after turning professional in 2012, he signed a six-year promotional agreement with Duco, which promoted most of his early professional contests. During that period Parker won the New Zealand heavyweight title, several regional championships and the World Boxing Organization heavyweight title. Duco expanded beyond boxing through large-format rugby events. In 2014 it launched the NRL Auckland Nines, a rugby-league tournament that attracted significant initial attention but was discontinued after the 2017 edition amid declining public interest. In 2017 the company introduced the Brisbane Global Rugby Tens, an international rugby competition. The tournament proceeded in 2018 but then entered a hiatus. Duco also promoted a celebrity Twenty20 cricket match at Christchurch’s Hagley Oval in January 2019, bringing rugby and cricket personalities together in a sold-out charity-oriented entertainment event. Corporate and hospitality events remain an important part of the company’s scope. Duco has arranged celebrity dinners, charity balls, galas and speaking appearances involving internationally known entertainers, business figures, chefs and public personalities. A dispute concerning the cancellation of a charity fundraiser appearance by Gordon Ramsay led to High Court proceedings brought by Higgins and McRae; the matter was ultimately resolved through mediation. Duco’s ownership and management relationships changed over time. McRae and his executive production company VADR later sold their interest in Duco after the David Tua versus Friday Ahunanya fight, while pursuing other media and entertainment ventures. Martin Snedden became chief executive in 2014 and later left the role after the Joseph Parker versus Andy Ruiz Jr. world-title fight. Duco partnered with Bob Arum’s Top Rank to co-promote Parker’s world-title contest against Andy Ruiz Jr. in 2016 and Parker’s subsequent bout against Razvan Cojanu. After the Parker-Cojanu fight, Higgins and Dean Lonergan separated their business interests. Lonergan continued in Australia through D & L Events, while Higgins retained control of Duco’s New Zealand operations. At the end of Parker’s Duco agreement, Parker moved to a three-fight arrangement with Eddie Hearn and Matchroom, with Higgins continuing in a management capacity within Parker’s team. The company has also faced criticism. In 2013, questions were raised about ringside medical arrangements and post-bout medical assessment at the Fight for Life event. Duco’s representatives accepted responsibility for the shortcomings, while critics argued that professional boxing and charity bouts required appropriately qualified medical personnel. The episode became the principal controversy associated with the company in the available reference material.

Duco Events was established in New Zealand in 2004 by David Higgins and John McRae. It developed as a broad event-promotions business rather than a single-sport company, producing corporate entertainment, charity functions, celebrity appearances and sporting competitions. Boxing eventually became its most recognisable activity, leading to the alternative names Duco Boxing and Duco. The company’s first major boxing promotion was David Tua versus Shane Cameron. Announced in 2009, the contest was postponed from June after Cameron injured his hand and was eventually held at Mystery Creek on 3 October 2009. Its commercial performance helped demonstrate that Duco could mount large-scale domestic boxing events. The promoter later signed and developed several fighters, most prominently Joseph Parker. Parker joined Duco after beginning his professional career in 2012 under a six-year agreement. Duco promoted the majority of his early contests, during which he won domestic, regional and ultimately world heavyweight titles. Duco’s boxing portfolio also included Robert Berridge, Jeff Horn, Izuagbe Ugonoh and David Letele. Berridge signed a six-year agreement in 2013, although the arrangement was later terminated following an alcohol-related incident at a Duco event. Horn signed with Duco in 2014 and fought repeatedly in New Zealand before continuing with Dean Lonergan’s Australian operation after the partners separated. Ugonoh also departed in 2016. Letele was promoted through a hybrid entertainment and sporting concept built around his Brown Buttabean persona. The format combined corporate bouts with professional contests and helped support a substantial personal weight loss before Letele later retired from boxing. The company expanded into rugby league in 2014 with the NRL Auckland Nines. The tournament attracted attention during its early years but ended after the 2017 edition when public interest was reported to have weakened. Duco then introduced the Brisbane Global Rugby Tens in 2017. The event continued in 2018 but went on hiatus in 2019. In cricket, Duco staged a celebrity Twenty20 match at Christchurch’s Hagley Oval on 25 January 2019, using a rugby-legends versus cricket-legends format. Management and ownership relationships changed as the business matured. McRae and his production company VADR sold their interest after the David Tua versus Friday Ahunanya fight. Martin Snedden became chief executive in 2014 and later left after the Parker versus Andy Ruiz Jr. world-title contest. Duco worked with Bob Arum and Top Rank to co-promote Parker versus Ruiz Jr. in 2016 and Parker versus Razvan Cojanu afterward. Higgins and Dean Lonergan subsequently split their interests. Lonergan established the Australian business D & L Events, while Higgins retained responsibility for Duco’s New Zealand operations. Following the end of Parker’s six-year promotional contract, Parker signed a three-fight agreement with Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom organisation, with Higgins moving into a management role connected with Parker. Alongside sport, Duco has arranged celebrity dinners, charity balls, galas and corporate events featuring public figures from entertainment, politics, business and culinary media. One prominent dispute involved Gordon Ramsay’s cancellation of a charity fundraiser appearance. Higgins and McRae pursued a claim in the New Zealand High Court against Ramsay and his agent, but the dispute was ultimately settled after mediation. Duco also attracted criticism over medical arrangements at the 14 December 2013 Fight for Life boxing event. Critics questioned whether the person treating cuts at ringside was properly qualified and noted that charity participants were reportedly not medically assessed after their bouts. The controversy followed an earlier boxing incident in which Daniel MacKinnon suffered a brain bleed and required emergency treatment. Duco executive Dean Lonergan accepted responsibility for the event’s shortcomings. The episode highlighted the regulatory and safety obligations attached to the company’s boxing promotions.

• 2019

  Celebrity Twenty20 event held in Christchurch

  [1]Duco Eventsen.wikipedia.org

  Duco stages a rugby-legends versus cricket-legends match at Hagley Oval on 25 January.

• 2017

  Brisbane Global Rugby Tens launches

  [1]Duco Eventsen.wikipedia.org

  Duco introduces a rugby tournament in Brisbane.

• 2017

  NRL Auckland Nines discontinued

  [1]Duco Eventsen.wikipedia.org

  The Auckland Nines ends after its 2017 edition.

• 2016

  Parker versus Ruiz Jr. co-promotion

  [1]Duco Eventsen.wikipedia.org

  Duco and Top Rank co-promote Joseph Parker’s world heavyweight title fight against Andy Ruiz Jr.

• 2014

  NRL Auckland Nines begins

  [1]Duco Eventsen.wikipedia.org

  Duco launches the Auckland-based rugby-league tournament.

• 2014

  Martin Snedden becomes chief executive

  [1]Duco Eventsen.wikipedia.org

  Snedden joins Duco as chief executive during the company’s expansion across sports and entertainment.

• 2012

  Joseph Parker signs with Duco

  [1]Duco Eventsen.wikipedia.org

  Parker enters a six-year promotional agreement with Duco after turning professional.

• 2009

  First major boxing promotion

  [1]Duco Eventsen.wikipedia.org

  Duco promotes David Tua versus Shane Cameron on 3 October after a postponement caused by Cameron’s hand injury.

• 2004

  Duco Events founded

  [1]Duco Eventsen.wikipedia.org

  David Higgins and John McRae establish the New Zealand event-promotions company.

A New Zealand live-events promoter combining professional sport, combat-sports promotion, celebrity entertainment and corporate hospitality.

• Combat sports events · 2009

  Professional boxing promotions

  Duco’s best-known offering is the promotion of professional boxing cards in New Zealand. The company has promoted domestic title contests, regional championship bouts and heavyweight events, with Joseph Parker serving as its principal long-term boxing property. Other fighters associated with its promotional roster included David Tua, Shane Cameron, Robert Berridge, Jeff Horn and Izuagbe Ugonoh.

• Rugby-league tournament · 2014

  NRL Auckland Nines

  An annual rugby-league tournament launched by Duco in Auckland in 2014. The short-format competition was designed as a major entertainment and sporting event but ended after the 2017 edition following declining public interest.

• Rugby tournament · 2017

  Brisbane Global Rugby Tens

  A ten-a-side rugby competition introduced in Brisbane in 2017. The tournament returned in 2018 before entering a hiatus in 2019, with no confirmed continuation in the supplied reference material.

• Celebrity sporting event · 2019

  Celebrity Twenty20 cricket events

  Entertainment-focused cricket fixtures that bring former rugby and cricket players together. The documented 2019 event at Hagley Oval used a rugby-legends versus cricket-legends format.

• Hospitality and live entertainment

  Corporate and charity events

  Duco produces celebrity dinners, charity fundraisers, gala events, balls and corporate hospitality programs. These events use appearances by entertainers, public figures, chefs, entrepreneurs and other high-profile guests as the principal attraction.

• 2013

  Fight for Life medical-safety criticism

  Duco was criticised over reported ringside medical arrangements at the 14 December Fight for Life event, including allegations that the person treating cuts was not a registered medical professional and that charity fighters did not receive adequate post-bout medical assessment. Duco executive Dean Lonergan accepted responsibility for the shortcomings.

  Source

• Gordon Ramsay charity-event litigation

  David Higgins and John McRae brought a New Zealand High Court claim concerning Gordon Ramsay’s cancellation of a charity fundraiser appearance. The case was later resolved through mediation.

  Source

Read more

• 2019Celebrity Twenty20 cricket match

  New Zealand

  Duco presented a charity-oriented celebrity cricket fixture at Hagley Oval in Christchurch, matching rugby legends against cricket legends.

  Outcome. The supplied reference describes the event as successful and reports that all 9,000 tickets were sold.

  Source
• 2014NRL Auckland Nines

  New Zealand

  A large-scale rugby-league entertainment tournament designed to bring professional teams and spectators to Auckland.

  Outcome. The event continued through 2017 before being discontinued.

  Source

• 2016

  Partner with Top Rank for Parker world-title promotionM&A

  Background

  Joseph Parker’s rise required international promotional and broadcast relationships.

  Action taken

  Duco joined Bob Arum’s Top Rank to co-promote Parker versus Andy Ruiz Jr.

  Aftermath

  The partnership was followed by co-promotion of Parker versus Razvan Cojanu.

  Source

• 2014

  Launch NRL Auckland NinesProduct launch

  Background

  Duco expanded from boxing and corporate entertainment into recurring rugby-league events.

  Action taken

  The company created an annual Auckland-based NRL nines tournament.

  Aftermath

  The tournament ended after the 2017 edition.

  Source

• 2009

  Enter large-scale boxing promotionProduct launch

  Background

  Duco sought to establish itself as a major New Zealand boxing promoter.

  Action taken

  It promoted David Tua versus Shane Cameron, its first documented major boxing event.

  Aftermath

  The event turned a profit according to the supplied reference and became the foundation for Duco’s later boxing business.

  Source

• Transition Parker from promotion to managementStrategy

  Background

  Parker’s six-year promotional agreement with Duco expired after his early professional and world-title career.

  Action taken

  Parker signed a three-fight agreement with Eddie Hearn and Matchroom, while David Higgins continued to support him in a management role.

  Aftermath

  Duco’s relationship with Parker shifted from direct promotion toward athlete management.

  Source

1. 1Duco Eventsen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Duco Events official websiteducoevents.com