The Bluewater Boxing promotion held in Sigatoka on Saturday featured several thrilling matches, but it also brought to light important issues that the Boxing Commission of Fiji (BCF) must address.
One major concern was the safety of all participants, including boxers, fans, match officials, and judges. During the heavyweight title match between James Singh and Semi Dauloloma, several fans were able to enter the ring due to poor crowd control, resulting in a brawl that was only halted when referees and a few police officers intervened.
BCF chairman Adi Narayan expressed his disappointment with the situation, calling it “unprofessional,” and declared the fight a no contest due to misbehavior from both corners. “This is not professional at all,” Narayan stated. “It was my decision to call the fight a no contest as both corners were wrong on their part.”
The BCF intends to review video footage of the incident and will take the necessary action. Following the main bout, displeased fans were heard shouting obscenities. Some spectators expressed their frustration towards the judges, the Boxing Commission of Fiji, and the promoters over the outcome of the Jr Binnu Singh versus Krishnil Mudaliar fight. Unfortunately, there was no security present to manage the crowd or prevent these outbursts.
Moreover, the event faced considerable scheduling problems. A planned 10-minute break announced around 8 PM extended to over 40 minutes, delaying the main bout until after 11 PM. Fans who had traveled from as far as Naitasiri, Rakiraki, Tailevu, Ba, and Suva were frustrated by the delays, with many leaving before the main event commenced.
These challenges underscore the need for enhanced event management and organization to improve the experience for attendees. As professional boxing looks to elevate its standards, it is essential to tackle these issues to ensure that future events run smoothly and meet the expectations of fans and participants alike.
In other matches from the evening, Siliveni Nawai and Simione Tui fought to a draw, Rakuro Daunivavana won against Ronald Naidu after Naidu’s corner threw in the towel in the third round, the women’s bout also ended in a draw, Samuela Naqari claimed victory over Kolinio Luvelolo by unanimous decision, Masitogi Rokotuva stopped Mohammed Ali in the third round, Junior Mana and Lepani Levatia ended their fight in a draw, Junior Abhay Chand stopped Tomasi Vunavou in the second round, Azhar Khan emerged victorious over Nitin Lal by points, and Mohammed Nafiz secured an unanimous decision win against Shefrazud Dean.