Sir Robert Jones has threatened to take legal action against a woman who started an anti-racism petition against him.
Joseph Parker's former manager Sir Bob Jones. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Filmmaker Renae Maihi has gathered 40,000 signatures for the petition, sparked by a column Sir Robert wrote calling for a Māori gratitude day instead of Waitangi Day.
He said Māori should bring Pākehā breakfast in bed and weed their gardens out of gratitude for existing.
He claimed he was trying to be satirical and did not believe people would take his comments literally.
A Bay of Plenty woman who signed the petition, Jamie Milroy, said she was appalled.
"When you're given the knighthood there's certain expectations upon someone who is given such a platform, you can't get away with saying things like that.
"I don't think anybody found it very funny at all and it was perpetuating a really bad stereotype."
Ms Maihi said she would keep fighting on behalf of Māori, and any legal advice was welcome.
