Three International Boxing Organisation (IBO) Asia Pacific titles will be up for grabs at the South Pacific Boxing Promotions next month. Adi Narayan, chairman of the Boxing Commission of Fiji (BCF), confirmed at yesterday’s launch that the event has been approved by IBO Australia.
Scheduled for October 26 at Prince Charles Park in Nadi, the program will include a local title fight and various local matches, featuring a women’s bout. Notably, this event marks the first occasion where siblings will compete for international titles. Sebastian Singh will face “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.
Additionally, the event will showcase a super welterweight title fight between Winston Hill and Lachlan O’Shea. Narayan highlighted the significance of this rare opportunity for Fijian boxers to show their skills on an international stage, noting, “This is a one-off occasion; I can’t recall it happening in the last three years.”
In another fight, Hill’s brother, Jonathan Pedro Hill, will challenge Siliveni Nawai for the Fijian super middleweight title, while Jese Ravudi will compete against Vanuatu’s Roy Ser. Narayan expressed his gratitude towards promoter Freddy Chand and director Mohammed Shameem for facilitating this event. Chand emphasized that these matches would create new opportunities for local boxers, including women.
The outcome of the women’s bout between Amo Wai and Maureen Chand will determine who secures a fight in England. Chand remarked, “If Winston Hill wins this one, he’ll be granted a world title shot that has been approved by IBO, bringing him a step closer to one of the three belts.”
To ensure safety, Chand reassured boxing fans that stringent security measures will be in place during the event, following an incident at Lawaqa Park last month. He also urged boxing clubs and fighters to ensure their trainers are registered with the BCF, stating, “Only four people will be allowed in the ring: one boxer, two trainers, and a cornerman if they have a license with BCF.”
He emphasized the need for teams to be registered, asserting that security personnel, including 30 private security and 25 police officers, will be present at the venue. An international IBO referee will also assist local referees and officials during the fights.