BOXING Commission of Fiji chairman Adi Narayan announced that a meeting involving the Fiji Amateur Boxing Association (FABA), the Fiji Association of Sports and National Olympic Committee (FASANOC), and representatives from the International Boxing Association (IBA) is scheduled for later this year.
This meeting follows a request from the Minister of Youth and Sports Jese Saukuru.
The purpose of the meeting is to address the ongoing dispute between the two rival boxing organisations, FABA and IBA, and to chart a way forward that ensures local boxers receive the best opportunities to advance their boxing careers.
While FABA and FASANOC have made it clear that any association with the rival IBA will result in the suspension of boxers, coaches, and officials from participating in the Olympics, Commonwealth Games, and Pacific Games, the IBA programmes offer valuable alternatives.
These programmes provide local amateur boxers with high-level international exposure and opportunities to earn significant prize money.
Narayan shared his views on this challenging issue, emphasising the difficult choice facing local boxers regarding their career ambitions.
“This is a tough decision boxers will have to make: either follow a path that can bring them fame through traditional amateur routes or pursue their boxing careers through the IBA, where they can gain recognition and the chance to earn a living,” he said.
Beyond the amateur level, IBA-sanctioned tournaments also accommodate professional boxers.
This presents an exciting opportunity for local professionals to access high-level international bouts beyond domestic programmes, with the potential to win substantial prize money.
For boxers who have set aside ambitions of competing in the Commonwealth, Olympics, or Pacific Games, the IBA pathway offers an excellent alternative to turn professional through quality international boxing competitions.
The upcoming meeting could prove to be a pivotal moment for Fiji’s boxing landscape.
For the first time, representatives from all four organisations will come together to resolve longstanding issues and create a realistic, productive roadmap.
