OUT of passion and love for boxing, Napoleon Taumoepeau has opened a boxing gym on Brown Street in Toorak, Suva.
With state of the art technology and equipment which cost him more than he expected, he hopes to produce champion boxers that can raise Fiji’s standard in international boxing.
He said even though the gym, known as the Suva Boxing and Fitness Centre, has yet to open, he has already started training boxers.
“Also, we are hosting sparring sessions every Wednesday for boxers to actually test themselves against opponents in a ring,” Taumoepeau said.
He said the aim was not to get monetary returns from the gym but to produce quality fighters.
“My family and I decided we would stay in Fiji and since my passion is boxing and there is no proper gym for boxing here in Fiji, I decided to open one.
“I love to train others and I love to train myself and so I decided that if I was going to do it, I should do it big.”
Taumoepeau said they had to bring in equipment for the state-of the-art facility from overseas.
“There is stuff from United States and some from New Zealand and other places and basically whatever I felt we needed for the gym.
“It exceeded our budget but it was what we needed because I don’t want our boxers to feel like they lack something that is maybe available in overseas gyms.
“This gym can be used by anyone, even those boxers from overseas and, basically, anyone who wants to be fit and learn self-defence.”
Taumoepeau is willing to help anyone who wants to take up boxing and train them in his gym.
“I will work with whoever needs my help. Some boxers don’t have dedicated coaches and I am willing to provide coaching and even coaches from other clubs can use the gym for training.”
Boxing Commission of Fiji director Malakai Veisamasama thanked Taumoepeau for his commitment to the sport.
“Instead of criticising the state of the sport in the country, he has been training boxers and having them engaged in sparring sessions to help us,” he said.
“We are thankful for his assistance and we are willing to support him in any way we can.”
