Three International Boxing Organisation (IBO) Asia Pacific titles will be on the line at the South Pacific Boxing Promotions event scheduled for next month. Adi Narayan, chairman of the Boxing Commission of Fiji (BCF), confirmed during the event’s launch that the programme received endorsement from IBO Australia.
Set for October 26 at Prince Charles Park in Nadi, the event will include a local title fight along with additional local matches, including a bout featuring women boxers. Notably, it will mark the first time siblings face off for international titles. Sebastian Singh is set to compete against “King” Tonga Tongotongo for the IBO Asia Pacific cruiserweight title, while his younger brother Ubayd Haider will take on China’s Runqi Zhou for the IBO Asia Pacific featherweight title.
Winston Hill and Lachlan O’Shea will also compete for the third international title, the super welterweight championship. Narayan highlighted that this event is unique, noting, “This is a one-off occasion; I can’t recall if this has happened in the last three years,” and emphasized the opportunity for local boxers to showcase their talents internationally.
Hill’s brother, Jonathan Pedro Hill, will fight Siliveni Nawai for the Fijian super middleweight title, while Jese Ravudi will square off against Vanuatu’s Roy Ser in another bout. Narayan commended promoter Freddy Chand and director Mohammed Shameem for facilitating this event.
Chand stated that these matches could open up new prospects for local fighters, including women. The outcome of the women’s match between Amo Wai and Maureen Chand will determine who gets to fight in England.
“If Winston Hill wins this one, he’ll be offered a world title shot that has been granted by IBO; one of the three belts will be within reach,” Chand noted. He also assured spectators that security would be a top priority on the night of the fights, especially following an incident at Lawaqa Park last month.
Chand emphasized the importance of boxing clubs and trainers getting registered with BCF, stating, “Only four people will be allowed in the ring: one boxer, two trainers, and a cart man if he is registered.” He added, “If a boxer does not have registered trainers, they will go in with someone who is registered, so it’s crucial to get your team registered.”
To ensure safety, he confirmed that there will be 30 private security personnel and 25 police officers present at the venue. An international IBO referee will also assist local referees and officials during the event.