Vatuvei needs just 28 seconds for first pro win in the ring
Former Warriors star Manu Vatuvei isn’t getting carried away with his boxing career despite a knockout start, Stuff reports.
Vatuvei, who was making his pro debut on the back of one corporate victory over Olympic rowing champion Eric Murray at Fight for Life in 2012, took just 28 seconds to stop Dave Letele, aka Brown Buttabean, at Horncastle Arena on the Joseph Parker versus Alexander Flores undercard in Christchurch on Saturday night.
The first-round knockout exceeded all expectations for the former Kiwis and Tongan league international, but he’s not planning on rushing back into the ring.
“I’m not too sure, just got to play it by ear at the moment,” Vatuvei said of his next fight.
Inevitably, the name of Cronulla Sharks enforcer and pro boxer Paul Gallen came up post-fight and Vatuvei didn’t dismiss it but he won’t be calling out Gallen, 8-0 as a professional boxer, in a hurry.
“That’s something I want to do but I need a lot more experience and a lot more fights to get to where he is,” Vatuvei said.
In less than 30 seconds, Vatuvei did show he can make something of a pro career at a restricted level against the likes of Gallen if he chooses to stick with it.
That is likely to depend on what happens with his rugby league career.
He is yet to retire from the 13-man code but the 32-year-old has been without a professional league contract since being released by English club Salford in June due to injury.
He is leaving negotiations for his rugby league future with his manager.
Vatuvei was giving away stacks of experience to Letele, who was having his 20th professional fight.
“At the start, I was a bit too relaxed I think and he caught me with a good right hand and then I just had to compose myself and get back into it,” Vatuvei said.
A series of right hands, including a thunderous upper cut, proved too much for Letele, who confirmed he would not return to the ring — instead choosing to focus on his crusade to fight obesity with his fitness motivation group Buttabean Motivation.
“It’s something that I can always learn from and just keep going from there,” Vatuvei said.
“I got the experience of a pro fight and got the feel of a good punch so hopefully now I can just move forward from there.”
He caught me with a good right hand and then I
just had to compose myself and get back
into it.
Manu Vatuvei