Cruiserweight Aminiasi Saratibau will be a name to look out for in amateur boxing.

The 24-year old who hails from Tubalevu, Namara in Tailevu was impressive when he stopped Kiribati’s Andrew Kometa in the first round of their cruiserweight bout.

This was one of the feature bouts of the Tri-Nation competition at Walu Bay, Suva, last Saturday.

Saratibau shares maternal links to Dakuinuku, Sawakasa, Tailevu.

Kometa’s cornermen threw in the towel before the end of the first round since he was unable to continue.
Saratibau said he expected Kometa to come out firing given his experience. Kometa started boxing in 2010 and has represented Kiribati in the last two Pacific Games.

Saratibau only started boxing last year and has 16 amateur fights under his belt.
“I had a bit of power in my hands so it played to my advantage. While I was training I used to watch a lot of Kung-Fu movies and that’s where I got interested in martial arts especially boxing with things like training and discipline.”

Saratibau is coached by former Fiji amateur boxing heavyweight champion Marika Bolavucu from the Wailoku Boxing Club. He is to represent Fiji to the Pacific Games in Honiara, Solomon Islands.

“I trained with Marika last year and I won gold in the Golden Gloves final,” Saratibau said.

“For the Pacific Games, I am expecting a lot of challenges from Australia and New Zealand.”

There were 14 bouts on Saturday’s fights; seven local and seven Tri-Nation bouts.

Fiji won four of the seven bouts, Tuvalu won one and Kiribati took out two.

Feedback: sereana.salalo@fijisun.com.fj