Fight Australian boxers for progress: Wilson

The best way forward for talented Fiji boxers is to fight and beat their Australian opponents.

This was the view of Sydney-based trainer Lepani Wilson who said beating Australian boxers would augur well with their world rankings.

“Fiji boxers will gain nothing from fighting boxers from India or even New Zealand,” he told SUNsports yesterday.

“Australia is the mecca of boxing in our part of the world. In trying to make his comeback former undisputed world welterweight champion Errol Spence came to fight in Australia and so were former world champs like Roy Jones Jnr, Azumah Nelson, Devin Haney and so on.

“Even Sakaraia Ve to get to the world’s top ten rankings, had to beat top Australian boxers like Jeff Malcolm, Steve Thompson, Philip Bennett and so on.

“There are other Fiji boxers like Alipate Korovou, Joe Keresi, Mosese Sorovi, Joe Nitiva, who have made it big in Australia and got top world rankings.”

Wilson said Fiji lightweight champion Mika Ravalaca made the right choice by signing up to fight unbeaten Brad Morgan in the Mercure Ballarat Hotel in Victoria on August 29.

Although, Morgan is unbeaten with 11 fights, Wilson believes that Ravalaca still has got what it takes to beat him.

“I’m basing that on the quality of Morgan’s opponents.” Wilson added.

The no-nonsense trainer has reiterated the need for the Boxing Commission of Fiji (BCF) to vet anyone coming to the country claiming to be representative of world boxing bodies or top promotional companies.

“In the past we’ve been fooled by such people who made false promises to our boxers,” he added.