Three International Boxing Organisation (IBO) Asia Pacific titles will be up for grabs during the South Pacific Boxing Promotions next month. Adi Narayan, chairman of the Boxing Commission of Fiji (BCF), confirmed at the event launch that the program has received approval from IBO Australia.
Scheduled for October 26 at Prince Charles Park in Nadi, the event will also feature a local title fight and various local matches, including a women’s round. Notably, this will mark the first instance of siblings competing for international titles, with Sebastian Singh facing “King” Tonga Tongotongo for the IBO Asia Pacific cruiserweight title and his younger brother, Ubayd Haider, going up against China’s Runqi Zhou for the IBO Asia Pacific featherweight title.
Additionally, Winston Hill and Lachlan O’Shea will compete for the international super welterweight title. Narayan stated, “This is a one-off occasion; I can’t recall if this has happened in the last three years. This is an opportunity for our boxers to showcase their skills on an international platform.”
Hill’s brother, Jonathan Pedro Hill, will challenge Siliveni Nawai for the Fijian super middleweight title, while Jese Ravudi will face Vanuatu’s Roy Ser in another bout. Narayan expressed gratitude to promoter Freddy Chand and director Mohammed Shameem for facilitating the event.
Chand emphasized that these matches would create new opportunities for local boxers, including women. The outcome of a women’s bout between Amo Wai and Maureen Chand will determine who gets a fight in England.
“If Winston Hill wins this one, he’ll be granted a world title shot by the IBO, putting him one step closer to one of the three available belts,” Chand stated. He assured fans that security will be stringent during the fights to prevent incidents similar to those that occurred last month at Lawaqa Park.
Chand urged boxing clubs and fighters to ensure their trainers are registered with the BCF. “Only four people will be allowed in the ring: one boxer, two trainers, and a cornerman if they have a license with the BCF. If a boxer doesn’t have registered trainers, they will be accompanied by someone registered, so get your team registered,” he emphasized.
“Security will not be an issue, with 30 private security personnel and 25 police officers present at the venue.” He also confirmed that an international IBO referee would assist local referees and officials during the event.