Violence erupted during the Fiji heavyweight title fight at Lawaqa Park in Sigatoka on Saturday night, severely damaging the reputation of professional boxing in the country. Adi Narayan, chairman of the Boxing Commission of Fiji (BCF), expressed his disgust and labeled the incident an embarrassment for the sport.
In response to the events, Narayan announced that BCF directors will review video footage of the fight and take strict action against those involved. The troubling incident unfolded when titleholder James ‘The Beast’ Singh threw punches at Semi Dauloloma while both were on the canvas. This bout marked their third encounter.
During the first round, Singh was knocked down by a hook from Dauloloma. As the second round commenced, Dauloloma cornered Singh, resulting in both fighters falling to the mat after an exchange of punches. While referee Fatu Tuimanono attempted to separate them, Singh hit Dauloloma twice on the ground, prompting ring officials to rush in. Tensions escalated with heated exchanges, as Dauloloma charged at Singh, leading to punches being thrown from both corners, including one that struck a ring official. The fight was ultimately halted and declared a no-contest.
Narayan commented, “What happened is an embarrassment for professional boxing. They are both champions and both at fault, leading to the ruling of no-contest. This is boxing, not WWE. What occurred was shameful and should not have happened.”
In addition to the main fight, Narayan mentioned another incident where featherweight boxer Mikaele Ravolaca entered the ring and challenged Umbayed Haider, resulting in a heated confrontation that nearly led to a scuffle. The Commission plans to investigate both incidents further and will hold a media conference to inform the public of their decisions.
As for Singh and Dauloloma’s future, Singh dismissed the notion of a rematch, stating that Dauloloma is not a true champion. Conversely, Dauloloma expressed his desire for a rematch in November, contending that Singh’s actions during the fight were not allowed.
The Boxing Commission is expected to convene soon to discuss the occurrences from the event.