Three International Boxing Organisation (IBO) Asia Pacific titles will be up for grabs at the South Pacific Boxing Promotions event scheduled for next month. Adi Narayan, the chairman of the Boxing Commission of Fiji (BCF), confirmed that the event has received endorsement from IBO Australia during its launch yesterday.
The matches are set to take place on October 26 at Prince Charles Park in Nadi. Alongside the international title bouts, the event will also include a local title fight and various local matches, featuring a women’s bout as well.
Notably, the event will mark the first occasion in which siblings will compete for international titles. Sebastian Singh is set to face “King” Tonga Tongotongo for the IBO Asia Pacific cruiserweight title, while his younger brother Ubayd Haider will contend with China’s Runqi Zhou for the IBO Asia Pacific featherweight title. Additionally, Winston Hill will go up against Lachlan O’Shea in a super welterweight title match.
“This is a unique event; I can’t recall anything similar occurring in the past three years,” Narayan stated. “It’s an excellent opportunity for our boxers to showcase their talents on an international stage.”
Jonathan Pedro Hill, brother of Winston Hill, will challenge Siliveni Nawai for the Fijian super middleweight title, while another match will feature Jese Ravudi competing against Vanuatu’s Roy Ser.
Narayan expressed gratitude to promoter Freddy Chand and director Mohammed Shameem for making this event possible. Chand emphasized that these fights will create new opportunities for local boxers, including women.
The upcoming women’s match between Amo Wai and Maureen Chand will determine who will earn a fight in England. “If Winston Hill wins this match, he will be in line for a world title shot granted by IBO, which will bring him closer to achieving his goal,” Chand noted.
He assured boxing fans and families that security measures will be enhanced during the event to prevent any incidents like those experienced at Lawaqa Park last month. Chand urged boxing clubs and athletes to ensure their trainers are registered with BCF, stating that only four individuals will be permitted in the ring: one boxer, two trainers, and a cart man, provided he holds a valid license with BCF.
“Should a boxer not have registered trainers, they will be accompanied by someone who is registered, so it’s important to get your team registered,” he added. “Security is being taken seriously, with 30 private security personnel and 25 police officers deployed at the venue.”
Chand also confirmed that an international IBO referee will be present to assist local referees and officials during the event.