The promoter of Joseph Parker's bid for the world boxing title to be held in Auckland on December 10 is not confident he'll be able to organise sponsorship in time.
Promoter Dean Lonergan has asked the government to help foot some of the bill for the WBO heavyweight title bout against Mexican slugger Andy Ruiz.
But he said millions of dollars in sponsorship still needed to be raised in the next week if the fight was to go ahead in Auckland.
"We're under huge time pressure because the fight's down for December 10 and that's very close," he said.
According to Lonergan, the fight could very well head to the United States, where Ruiz's promoter, Bob Arum of Top Rank, would likely stage it.
"I'm not confident that we're going to have the fight here in New Zealand and I think there's an 80 percent chance it's going to America because of the sheer size of the finances required. We have to do something that's never been done before and that's get seven figures in sponsorship," Mr Lonergan said.
The government said the application for funding was being assessed and it didn't yet have a view on it.
But Labour's sports spokesperson, Trevor Mallard, said he couldn't see any reason for approving it.
"There may be something in the application, which I haven't seen, that means that it is worthwhile and would make a big difference for New Zealand, but I can't think of what it might be."
