Get the right people into Boxing Commission, trainer tells

The next Boxing Commission of Fiji (BCF) chairman should be someone who understands how professional boxing operates.

This was the view of Sydney-based trainer Lepani Wilson.

Speaking to SUNsports yesterday, Wilson said most of the current BCF board members had been involved mainly with amateur boxing.

“There is a big difference when you run professional boxing compared to the amateurs,” Wilson, who was the former Professional Boxing and Wrestling Association (PWBA) president, said.

“That is why there is a lot of frustration among the boxers, promoters and officials.

“In nearly every promotion, there are hiccups and that should tell us that something is wrong. Getting in the right people will ease the load on all stakeholders.”

Last Friday, Minister for Youth and Sports Jese Saukuru confirmed to SUNsports that Adi Narayan’s term as BCF chairman had expired.

“They’ll call for an expression of interest, and the names haven’t come to me yet,” Saukuru said.

He also indicated that once they had the names, they would make a decision.

Wilson said that, for the sake of the sport, University of the South Pacific (USP) academic Subhash Appana should be reinstated as BCF chairman. He said retired teacher Paula Tuilau should also be considered for appointment to the BCF board.

“Master Paula, is a former Fiji super welterweight champion. He has fought locally and around the world as well. Also, he is a fine example because he turned to boxing to earn money so he can pay his education fees at the Fiji Institute of Technology (FIT), where he graduated. He is now a pastor and is well versed with the boxing regulations.”

Wilson said having a boxing historian like Appana leading the BCF and Tuilau on the board would boost the sport.

Wilson reiterated that an investigation should be carried out into Fiji boxers who were going overseas for fights without a BCF release.

“They must get to the bottom of this. There are middlemen involved,” he explained.

“The promoters in Australia, pay these middlemen big money to get the Fiji boxers over to fight. For example, the promoter gives the middleman around $8000. The boxer receives between $2500 to $3000 as their purse while the middleman pockets the rest.”

Wilson said a proper investigation should be carried out because, in some cases, Fiji boxers taken to Australia were accommodated in containers while waiting for their fights.