Promising welterweight amateur boxer Ray Galoa had recently turned 21 and boasted an impressive record of six wins in seven fights during a single season, as highlighted in an article from 1982. With a strong boxing lineage, Ray established the Navatu Boxing Club in Kinoya, confident of securing a spot on the Fiji team for the upcoming Commonwealth Games.
His notable victories included triumphs over 1979 South Pacific Games trialists, Joseva Nakui and Viliame Lesu. Additionally, he defeated Balawabilo, a seasoned and powerful fighter, in the previous year. Galoa’s sole defeat that season came at the hands of Sivi Tuatane, an international amateur champion from New Caledonia. Despite gaining a clear point lead in the match, he was shocked when the local referee awarded Tuatane the win, a decision that incited outrage from his camp, resulting in manager Inoke Qarau being detained in a local jail.
Galoa was determined to secure his place in the Fiji boxing team for the Commonwealth Games scheduled for September. He expressed confidence, stating, “I see no boxer in my division right now who’ll stop me from going to Brisbane.” However, he acknowledged that he would need to put forth extra effort against Atonio Tui, the welterweight gold medalist from Tahiti, and Netani Gucake, a Canadian Golden Glove contender.
When asked about his journey into boxing, Galoa revealed that he initially took it up for self-defense, but his friends encouraged him to pursue it competitively after recognizing his talent. Boxing is a family tradition for Galoa, as his uncle, Semi Galoa, was a renowned boxer who tragically died in the ring at the young age of 23 after being knocked out by Tom Hini. Galoa’s father, Lorima Cokanasiga, also had a noteworthy boxing background, competing in three championship matches during the 1940s.
Initially training at Charman’s Club in Suva, Galoa struggled to find sparring partners, which led him to establish the Navatu Boxing Club by bringing together a group of local boys. He was gearing up for his first fight of 1982, a pivotal match for his aspirations at the Commonwealth Games, with one fan recognizing him as a potential medal hopeful at the South Pacific Games, despite uncertainty about his competition from other Commonwealth nations. Galoa’s reputation as a tough, powerful hitter with a solid boxing style preceded him, and he was approaching the trials as part of his preparation for the challenges ahead, aiming for victories and medals.