Lepani Wilson with one of the boxers he trains Photo: Lepani Wilson
Fijian boxers should be better prepared for bouts before stepping into the ring if boxing fans are to back the sport.
That's the verdict of former Suva and Nadi boxing trainer Lepani Wilson, following the weekend's Pathway Pacific Showdown promotion in Suva, where some boxers seemed to be not up to standard. He said these boxers were clearly unfit and were unable to last just a few rounds.
Wilson, who is now based in Australia where he continues to train Pasifika boxers, believes that by not preparing well local boxers will continue to kill the interest in the sport.
"That is critical at this stage if the revival is to succeed," he said.
"I am not saying that it is bad to have the promotions. That is all well and good and we need it.
"But the boxers should be prepared well so they do not become disappointments and fans lose interest. Fans are paying big bucks now to watch and they have to get their money's worth."
Many boxing followers in Fiji have witnessed a drop in boxing standards, which led to fans staying away and the sport regressing, especially the years between 2005 and 2010.
Current processes being put in place has led to many viewing it as a revival, and they now see a bright future and a return to the heydays of the 70s to the late 90s in Fiji boxing when the likes of Sakaria Ve, Alipate Korovou, and Leweni Waqa fought for titles and entertained fans.
Wilson is calling on the Fiji Boxing Commission, trainers and stakeholders to work together to get the fans back.
"The product is very important. The product must be up to standard because people are paying to watch boxing," he said.
"I believe that is paramount going forward. If we do not do that then we will see the revival backtrack."
Wilson groomed Fijian boxers like former Fiji super-middleweight champion Frank Atu, heavyweight Fatu Tuimanono, Paula Tuilau, Waisele Ratu and Tevita Vakalalabure.
The Kadavu man trained his nephew Renold Quinlan to win the International Boxing Organisation middleweight title with a knockout of former IBF champion Daniel Geale.
Wilson, who is the former president of the Professional Boxing and Wrestling Association in Fiji, now runs his own boxing gym in Cambletown called the Wilson Boxing Academy.
Concerns valid
Fiji Boxing Commission chairman Subhash Appana said the Commission has a plan to assist when they are better off financially.
"Lepani's (Wilson) comments are valid. We have left the responsibility of getting the boxers prepared on the trainers and their managers," Appana said.
"The Commission has put in place some regulations to assist like having boxers, trainers and boxing clubs registered with us and the promoters.
"But we are not able to assist with more at this time because of our current financial situation. We plan to do more once we are able to secure more funding and grants."
Fiji Boxing Commission chairman Subhash Appana Photo: Subhash Appana
Appana revealed that since 2019 the Commission has had to find its own funding through various means and the grant given to them by government in 2020 was not enough to carry them through the past three years.
Boxer Winston Hill has assisted in the revival of boxing in Fiji in the past 12 months by staging two promotions in Suva in partnership with well-known Australian boxing trainer Johnny Wilson.
Appana said the programmes have gained a lot of interest and the game now has to be lifted by the local boxers.
"We certainly know that the area needs to be improved," he added.
Wilson said this must be done now if boxing fans are to continue to support the revival programmes.
"For the sake of boxing, boxers need to be up to par, nothing less."