“James Singh has no excuses left”.
The Fijian heavyweight knows exactly what went wrong the first time he stepped into the ring with Sainivalati Ratu and he is determined to make sure history does not repeat itself when the pair meet again on Friday, October 23 in the Heavyweight clash for the Bluewater Boxing Promotion at Lawaqa Park in Sigatoka.
Four months after their first encounter on May 23 at the Bluewater Boxing Promotion’s “Lawaqa Rumble” at Lawaqa Park, Singh is preparing for a rematch that carries greater significance, with a championship title on the line.
For Singh, this is not about making promises. It is about putting in the work.
“I’m going to put everything on the table within the next few weeks of training, so there’s no excuse for this fight,” Singh said.
The veteran boxer admitted his preparation had slipped after spending years at the top of the sport.
“When I was champion, I used to train three times a day,” he said.
“Training started slipping away, so I wasn’t training hard enough. I wasn’t putting in the hard yards.”
Singh accepts that his lack of preparation played a major role in his performances and believes the defeat to Ratu was a wake-up call.
“The result is in front of you,” he said. “I lost probably more fights than I could have won without even training.”
Now, the focus is on rebuilding the discipline that once made him a champion.
Singh said his biggest lesson from the first fight was to stay grounded and concentrate on the task immediately in front of him.
“I learned that I need to put my leg on the ground, put one step in front and focus on what’s in front of me,” he said.
“Talk is just talk. I’ve actually learned how to put in the hard yards again.”
Faith is also playing an important role in Singh’s comeback.
The boxer said he has endured difficult periods throughout his career but remains grateful for another opportunity to fight for championship honours.
“I’ve been down more than five, six times in my life. And I’m still here. I’m still standing,” he said.
“Thank God for the blessings that He has on top of me. Without Him, I wouldn’t be standing here again today and fighting in the championship.”
Singh also expects the Sigatoka community to once again rally behind him.
“Sigatoka has always never disappointed us,” he said.
“Sigatoka was full jam in the last fight and hopefully we’ll get this back.”
Despite the confidence, Singh is refusing to predict how the rematch will end.
“I’m not going to make any promises now,” he said.
“It’s better I just show it in the ring.”
