Fight Aussie boxers, wily trainer tells

Boxers in the country must take on Australian boxers if they are to make the world rankings.

This was the message from Sydney-based trainer Lepani Wilson.

Speaking to SUNsports yesterday, Wilson said our boxers wont im-prove on their international rankings if they continue to fight Indonesian or boxers from India.

I guess, it all goes down to what our boxers want, which is to get a world ranking or simply earn a quick buck, Wilson said.

The Boxing Commission of Fiji should be consulting our boxers on the best pathway to take. If they get a world ranking and improve on it, then the money they are after will come.

If they are there only for money, then they won't have a promising future in the sport.

The wily trainer said this had happened to Sakaraia Ve in the late 1970s.

Ve fought and beat top Australian welterweights like Jeff Malcolm, Paul Toweel, Hector Thompson

Steve Dennis, Lawrence Austin and Phil ‘Spider’ Davis in Suva.

“The wins contributed to Ve’s ranking with the Commonwealth. He made No.7 with the World Boxing Association (WBA) and World Boxing Council (WBC),” Wilson recalled.

He said Joy Ali also got a No.15 ranking with WBA after he beat Australian boxer Ecument Asian to claim the Pan Asia Boxing Association (PABA) super welterweight title.

“Joy was able to defend the PABA title against then Australian super welterweight champion Gary Comer in Suva, which got him that WBA ranking.”

Wilson said there is no short-cut in trying to get a world ranking.

“I feel Junior Binnu Singh should go for rematch against Runqi Zhou who is now fighting out of Australia. Although Runqi won their first fight on split points

decision, he was in for a torrid time against Binnu. I feel Binnu should not be fighting Asian boxers because he has the talent and power make it to the top world rankings," he added