TWO local boxing champions have been stripped of their titles after failing to defend them within the timeframe mandated by the Boxing Commission of Fiji (BCF), BCF chairman Adi Narayan confirmed to Times Sports.
The decision was made during BCF’s first board meeting of the year.
The first boxer to be stripped is former super-middleweight champion Siliveni Nawai. Narayan stated that Nawai has refused to return the belt despite being unable to defend the title.
“See, a champion can hold onto a title after defending it three times, that’s when you can keep the title,” Narayan said. “Here this man did not follow that and is refusing to give us the title back. So, we’ve decided to strip him and suspend him.”
The second champion stripped by the BCF is former bantamweight and super-bantamweight champion Shamal Ram Anuj (often referred to as Shamal Ramanuj).
“The second one is Shamal Ramanuj; he now lives in Australia or New Zealand somewhere, and he’s been away for six months and more. The rule is very clear,” Narayan explained.
“You’re a foreigner now; you are not a resident, so that title is now stripped — it’s vacant. These are actions we have taken from the board meeting.”
The BCF is urging all champions to find promoters and arrange their title defences or risk losing their titles.
Narayan added that the BCF will not arrange any title defences on behalf of champions to boxing promoters.
“And to the current reigning champions, it is my request to you all: please, you know who you are, contact any of the promoters, sign up, because the boxing commission will act now. We must get these titles current,” Narayan said.
