Three International Boxing Organisation (IBO) Asia Pacific titles will be up for grabs at the South Pacific Boxing Promotions event next month. Adi Narayan, the chairman of the Boxing Commission of Fiji (BCF), announced during the launch that the program has received endorsement from IBO Australia.
Scheduled for October 26 at Prince Charles Park in Nadi, the event will also include a local title fight and various local matches, featuring a women’s bout. Notably, it will mark the first instance of siblings competing 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 fight China’s Runqi Zhou for the IBO Asia Pacific featherweight title.
Additionally, Winston Hill and Lachlan O’Shea will contest for the super welterweight title. Narayan highlighted the significance of the event, mentioning that it has been a while since such an opportunity has arisen for local boxers to showcase their skills on an international stage.
Hill’s brother, Jonathan Pedro Hill, will also be in the spotlight as he challenges Siliveni Nawai for the Fijian super middleweight title, with another match featuring Jese Ravudi against Vanuatu’s Roy Ser. Narayan expressed gratitude to promoter Freddy Chand and director Mohammed Shameem for their efforts in making this event happen.
Chand emphasized that the fights present fresh opportunities for local boxers, including women. The result of the women’s bout between Amo Wai and Maureen Chand will determine who earns a fight in England. He also mentioned that if Winston Hill secures a victory, he will be granted a world title shot sanctioned by IBO, bringing him closer to one of the three championship belts.
Chand reassured boxing fans that security measures will be stringent on the night of the matches to prevent any incidents similar to last month’s occurrence at Lawaqa Park. He urged boxing clubs and athletes to ensure their trainers are registered with BCF, stating that only specific individuals will be permitted in the ring during fights.
“Security will be a top priority, with 30 private security personnel and 25 police officers present at the venue,” he added. Chand also confirmed that an international IBO referee will be on hand to assist local referees and officials during the event.