Locals face-off with Brits
FIJI Amateur Boxing head coach Cam Todd says this weekend’s boxing event between the Fiji Selection and the British Navy will open doors to more international fights over the next few months.
A total of 25 bouts have been scheduled for the Fiji Selection vs British Navy Boxing Fiji sanctioned event tomorrow.
“This event will certainly open the door to more international fights and that is something that we want because it will help in the development of boxing in the country,” Todd said.
“My goal is to have one international fight or have international clubs here to box every four months, and this event will certainly stir up interest from other countries to come and compete here.”
Todd said the British Navy team was supposed to compete in New Zealand, where he was a boxing coach almost four years ago.
“I was coaching in New Zealand back in 2020 and the plan was to have this British Navy (team) compete with my boxers in New Zealand.
“However, I was given the position here in Fiji straight after COVID, so this is how I managed to get the navy to come and compete here in Fiji.”
He confirmed that only 14-15 of his boxers would be competing tomorrow, with the rest coming on the following weekend.
“We will be having around 14-15 boxers fighting this weekend and 18-19 next Friday,” the coach said.
“We also have only two female boxers, Jasmine Daunakamakama and Sala Katonivere, who will be competing tomorrow and next weekend.”
Members of the Fiji Selection side have been training with Todd for three days a week for the past few months while the rest of their days are spent with their respective clubs.
“I have been working over the past eight months to have this navy team come to the country to compete and I am happy that it is about to come to pass.
“I spent three days with the elite boxers of our selection side while they spent the other days with their respective clubs.”
He said having more international fights in the country would help in the development of the sport and give local boxers opportunities to improve their ranking.
“For these international fights, it will go all the way down to the junior grade where we can have young boxers fighting overseas opponents from the grassroots level.”