It truly takes a time of deep self-reflection for a man to change his lifestyle.
This was the story of local boxing coach Osea Nanovu who grew up a troubled youth but eventually thirsted for change when things weren’t going as planned.
Nanovu who hails from Yasawa-i-Rara was exposed to the sport of boxing ever since he was in kindergarten.
He recalled the days he used to watch his father and brothers in a boxing gym, sparring not for competition but as means to stay healthy.
His family moved around the country a lot due to his father’s profession, but boxing remained an integral part of their lives.
This lifestyle followed them to Australia where he learned the rules and tactics of boxing through Matereti Valu who came from a prominent boxing family from Kadavu at the time.
Upon returning to Fiji, Nanovu hit the ring with amateur boxers at the time, but his bad choices and habits got the best of him and his chances of advancing as an athlete in the sport.
“I couldn’t really play at the time because of peer-pressure and alcohol. My family moved around a lot back then so I was always following the wrong crowd, doing what every notorious youth would do,” he said.
Until one day, when he realised then life doesn’t always have to be lived that way.
“I realised that because of my habits, I couldn’t live my dreams. Everything ended prematurely and I wanted to change that. My siblings excelled in their respective academic fields, and I was on a different spectrum.
“My interest in helping young people grew from there. I made it my role to help young men and women, especially those who had troubles from home to take up the sport and make a living for themselves,” he said.
This started a life-changing journey for Nanovu.
“From there I started to take up coaching so I could be closer to my people and help them excel in this field.
“In 2015, I was part of the Fiji Amateur Boxing coaching team where we took three boxers to the Pacific Games in Papua New Guinea. The three boxers all won silver at the Games, although I was not paid, my interest was in helping shape the lives of these young individuals,” he added.
Nanovu continued to do this until today where he has trained some promising local boxers including Mikaele Ravalaca and Sera Bolatini who will fight in the ZEG Kings Boxing Promotion this Saturday at the Vodafone Arena in Suva.
His advice has never changed, drawing examples from his life’s book and the experiences he encountered that altered the trejectory of his life.
“I always tell every young kid that have trained that they need to have a goal in life. They cannot be living their lives thinking that things will come easy, I don’t want them to follow the path that I came through.
“I want them to achieve something in life, have their own families and actually do something good.
“I’ve seen many i-Taukei youths fall short in life whether it be studies, work or business so I always encourage my boxers to be someone that breaks that cycle.
“Our God does nothing halfway so we have to be like that as well. We have to do things to the fullest and reach the highest level because we were created that way. That is why I have decided to dedicate my time into helping young men and women to break that toxic cycle and actually become someone in life,” Nanovu shared.
Through the course of this, Nanovu has enjoyed some success, seeing a number of young people under his guidance going on to achieve a better life through the sport of boxing.
“A huge number of kids that I trained and guided have now joined the Police Force, Army, Navy and some have become prison officers. Some have even gone on to join the British Army so there is progress and this is very rewarding.
“Some have turned professional in the sport of boxing and have gone on to play the sport overseas and for that I’m thanful because at least my boxers are going somewhere and achieving something.
“I always tell them that their two hands should bring them a fortune, ots hould put money in their pockets. Many of them have won medals while being in amatuer so I encouraged them to turn pro and go up to the world stage,” he added.
He now owns a boxing club called Team Boxing Brave.
