WITH the number of boxing promotions happening now, it is really hard to imagine what the golden days of boxing would have been like.
Yes, boxing did have its golden days, there was even a golden boy but it was the hardwork of one man who founded the Fiji Boxing Council and then got it registered with the World Boxing Council enabling our boxers to go up to the world stage.
Those born before 1975, would clearly remember the name John Marimuttu Ramos.
Now residing in Canada, Ramos is calling on the powers to ensure that boxing does not die in Fiji as a result of unscrupulous people.
Ramos is very clear when he said boxing will not be able to survive unless the right people are at the helm of the sport.
“There is a blatant conflict of interest in the sport.
“Promoters are acting as trainers and managers. Promoters should be independent,” he said.
“Some promoters bring sickness to the sport. They broke rules which affect boxing. These promoters should be identified and kicked out from boxing for good.”
In the 1970s, Ramos Boxing Club produced champions, and perhaps the biggest name from the club was Fiji’s golden boy of boxing Sakaraia Ve.
Along with Ve, Ramos went on to train six other boxing champions.
But Ramos’ biggest achievement that would put Fiji on the world map of boxing was when he founded the Fiji Boxing Council and registered it with the World Boxing Council in 1979.
“I was a member of the World Boxing Council and World Boxing Association,” Ramos said.
“The Fiji Boxing Council was formed to quash the dirty dealing and politics of the Professional Boxing and Wrestling Association. The situation had become quite similar to what it is now.
“My friend Jay Edson who was a top world boxing referee and a fight coordinator for top ranked New York promoter Bob Arum referred me to WBC and WBA.
“I saw this as a blessing and an honour for boxing in Fiji.”
“How can we fix boxing in Fiji? My answer is that boxing is not dead and never was.
“The people who are running or administering the sport in Fiji are blame. “Ramos said boxing was a sport that required a lot of dedication, commitment, compassion and perseverance.
“This goes for both the boxers and administrators.
You need people with boxing knowledge and who have the love for the sport and not have hidden agenda. Only then they will be able to make a difference.
“I am speaking out of personal experience. The results are there, they speak for themselves.
“In the 1970s and 1980s when Ramos Boxing Club was thriving, we took boxing to the Commonwealth and to the world.
“Presently, the Boxing Commission of Fiji is just a regulator of the law and they cannot promote fights, as the law suggests.
“So there is a need for a separate boxing body like Fiji Boxing Council or Fiji Boxing Association to run professional boxing .”
“The Boxing Commission will ensure professional boxing is run under the rules and regulation of FBA or the FBC constitution whichever is approved by the BCF.”
Funny enough, under the Boxing Commission of Fiji Promulgation, the law allows for the formation of two such bodies for professional boxing and the boxing titles or belts to be listed under these bodies.
BCF chairman Malakai Veisamasama confirmed that all boxing titles in Fiji had been abolished once the two professional associations are formed.
Ramos suggested that promoters, referees, judges, timekeepers, boxers, managers and trainers should be registered under the respective professional boxing body and their registrations and names forwarded to the BCF.
“The ringside doctor should be appointed by the BCF but to be paid by the promoter.
“My opinion is Fiji cannot have a western boxing association or northern boxing association or southern boxing association. It will be bad for the boxing at the national level,” he said.
“The FBC or PBA should receive a program from the respective promoter to sanction the fight with a sanction fee.
BCF then should do its work in either to approve or disallow the program.
Ramos is of the opinion that qualified and people with integrity are needed to administer boxing.
“I was very strict during my time. I ensured my boxers avoided dealing with the promoters directly.
“I as their manager did all the negotiation on the fighters’ behalf,” Ramos said.
“My dealings were clean and the message was clear to the nine promoters that existed that as a boxing club we would tolerate corruption and practices which are not good for the sport.
“There were no boxers throwing fights and no promoters could sabotage fights by enticing boxers with more money.
In 2010, Ramos came to Fiji and donated a heavyweight title belt for the memory of the late Sunia Cama and Marika Naivalu.
Under the BCF provisions are there for suggestions made by Ramos.
The former boxing legend is speaking his mind on what he thinks will help clean up boxing in Fiji.
The question that needs to be answered now is that if the provisions are there in boxing law, why has it not been happening.
This is the third month of the year, and there have been no professional bouts. BCF’s Veisamasama said work is being done to set up bodies like the Fiji Boxing Council so boxers could fight for the title.
A little over a week ago, the Boxing Commission of Fiji received the Prime Minister’s Awards for good governance at the Fiji Sports Award.
According to Ramos, these awards do not anything if the integrity and honour is not there.
The man who bred champions is simply suggesting that take corruption out of the sport, be strict about the rules and the sport will flourish.