Violence erupted during the Fiji heavyweight title fight at Lawaqa Park in Sigatoka on Saturday night, tarnishing the reputation of professional boxing in the nation. Adi Narayan, chairman of the Boxing Commission of Fiji (BCF), expressed his disgust, labeling the incident as an embarrassment to the sport.
Following the turmoil, Narayan announced that BCF directors would review video footage of the event to take appropriate action against those involved. The chaos began when reigning champion James ‘The Beast’ Singh punched Semi Dauloloma while both were on the canvas. This match was their third meeting, and in the first round, Singh was knocked down by a hook from Dauloloma. As the second round commenced, Dauloloma cornered Singh, leading to a flurry of punches that brought both fighters to the ground. Despite the referee’s attempts to separate them, Singh threw two punches at Dauloloma while they were down, prompting ring officials to intervene as tensions escalated.
Following an exchange of harsh words, Dauloloma charged at Singh but was restrained by officials, leading to a brawl involving both fighters’ corners, resulting in one official being struck. The match was ultimately stopped and deemed a no-contest. Narayan stated, “What happened is an embarrassment for professional boxing… both were at fault, which is why I made the ruling of no-contest.” He emphasized that disqualification does not result in a title win, condemning the behavior displayed during the fight.
In addition to the main event’s chaos, Narayan mentioned a separate incident involving featherweight boxer Mikaele Ravolaca, who entered the ring to challenge Umbayed Haider. The situation intensified when Haider responded, leading to heated exchanges and near physical confrontations, prompting officials to step in.
The Boxing Commission will assess all incidents and provide a public update through a media conference. Narayan indicated that the commission would convene soon to discuss the events and their implications thoroughly.
Singh dismissed Dauloloma’s claims, asserting he is not a “true champion” and ruled out a rematch, suggesting Dauloloma return to amateur boxing. In turn, Dauloloma criticized Singh’s actions during the fight and expressed his desire for a rematch in November, should it be permitted.