Fiji’s super-lightweight champion, Mikaele Ravalaca, faced backlash following his defeat at the International Boxing Association (IBA) World Championships held in Dubai over the weekend. Ravalaca lost to 19-year-old Ethiopian boxer Zewdu Haymanot Desalegn by a unanimous points decision.
In an exclusive interview, Ravalaca’s coach, Osea Nanovu, disclosed that the young athlete competed with an injured hand. Ravalaca concealed his injury and undertook independent training in the lead-up to the championships. Despite Nanovu’s attempts to encourage him to withdraw from the competition, the determined boxer insisted on fighting.
Nanovu cited the injury as a significant factor in Ravalaca’s performance, explaining, “I put a thick padding on his hand to help with the pain, but in the first fifteen seconds of the fight, when he threw an over-right punch to his opponent’s head, that’s when it worsened. After that, his arm went numb, which impacted his ability to perform.”
Despite the unfortunate outcome, Nanovu noted that the trip was not entirely in vain. A key objective was to elevate Fiji’s status within the IBA. “We wanted Mika to participate so that the IBA could recognize Fiji again,” Nanovu stated. Currently, the World Boxing Association is the only boxing organization operating in Fiji, and, as he noted, it does not compensate its boxers fairly compared to the IBA.
Ravalaca’s involvement as Fiji’s sole representative at the IBA championships is crucial for the nation’s recognition in the boxing realm. This was Ravalaca’s second appearance at the IBA world championship; he made his debut in the 2023 competition. This recognition is essential not only for Ravalaca’s future but also for the broader ambitions of Fijian boxing in gaining a foothold in international competitions again. The hope remains that such efforts will lead to improvements in support and compensation for boxers in Fiji.
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