Former rugby and boxing star Sonny Bill Williams will be the featured guest at the South Pacific Boxing Promotions event at Prince Charles Park in Nadi on October 26. This announcement was made by SPBP director Mohammed Shameem and promoter Fred Chand.
Shameem noted that their goal is to elevate boxing in the country. Despite facing financial losses, SPBP has successfully hosted events in Ba, Lautoka, and Labasa. Chand mentioned that Williams and his manager, Khoder Nasser, are expected to arrive on October 25, where Williams will participate in the official weigh-in that day and be present during the fight.
Fans purchasing $100 ringside tickets will have the opportunity to meet Williams. Chand also stated that the SPBP is organizing dinner events featuring Williams as the guest speaker and he will conduct sports clinics. Additionally, three schools will have sessions where Williams will speak to students about the dangers of drug use.
A brief overview of Williams’s career highlights his impressive background, including 123 games in the NRL with the Canterbury Bulldogs and Sydney Roosters, where he made significant contributions to their Grand Final victories in 2004 and 2012. He also played 58 Test matches for the All Blacks, contributing to their Rugby World Cup wins in 2011 and 2015, and later transitioned into boxing, achieving a record of nine wins and one loss.
Chand indicated that SPBP is looking for potential sponsors to support the events featuring Williams, emphasizing that there are costs associated with hosting such prominent international sports figures.
The main event will feature IBO Asia Pacific super welterweight champion Winston Hill facing Australia’s Lachlan O’Shea in a 10-round title bout. Additional matches include Sebastian Singh’s clash with Tonga Tongotongo for the vacant IBO Asia Pacific cruiserweight title, an IBO Oceania-Orient featherweight title fight between Umbayd Haider and China’s Runqi Zhou, and Nadi’s Siliveni Nawai defending the Fiji super middleweight title against Jonathan Hill from Suva. Chand noted that they’ve received positive responses for the fights, although they remain hopeful for favorable weather conditions.