Suva boxer Krishnil Mudaliar believes he should be the top contender for a new lightweight title. Mudaliar was the holder of the super Featherweight and lightweight titles before both were stripped during the COVID-19 period.
The “Cobra” won the lightweight title in March 2020 after defeating Junior Farzan Ali at the FMF Gymnasium in Suva. However, all contact sports were halted as Fiji dealt with the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Mudaliar claimed that former Boxing Commission of Fiji chairman Dr. Subhash Appana stripped boxers of their titles during that period for failing to defend them within six months.
“The lightweight title is here with me, but before I could get a chance to defend it, it was stripped by Appana. They did not tell me the reason, but they declared that all titles not defended within three to six months would be stripped. Hence, they took away titles from all categories, from bantamweight to heavyweight,” he said.
Now, the lightweight title will be contested in Labasa in August’s South Pacific Boxing Promotion between Ubayd Haider and Saimoni Ratu.
“Get a new lightweight title so I can defend it. Now it’s between Ubayd Haider and Saimoni Ratu. I don’t know how the promoter got those two to sign the contracts, and the fight has been sanctioned by the BCF. I know Adi Narayan will address this issue. They are continuing with the old title, and they shouldn’t do this,” Mudaliar said.
The 35-year-old called on promoters and the BCF to adhere to the rules of the sport.
“It’s not fair that a title is stripped. This lightweight title was active, but they made it vacant for no reason. Now with Adi, they should talk with whoever the promoter is and give me the opportunity to defend my title against whoever the challenger is to win the new title.”
Mudaliar last fought in May this year, where he lost to Haider at Prince Charles Park in Nadi during the South Pacific Boxing Promotion.