Alifereti Kauyaca, red gloves, beat Joseph Kwajdo on 3 March.

Fiji’s cruiserweight boxing scene faced a dramatic turn of events as reigning champion Alifereti Kauyaca was stripped of his title following revelations of illegal hand-wrapping during a recent title defense in Suva.

Kauyaca’s victory over Joseph Kwadjo on March 3rd was marred by controversy after reports emerged of unauthorized hand wraps, prompting swift action from boxing authorities.

Initial suspicions surfaced on social media, with concerns raised over the alleged use of “cement plaster” in Kauyaca’s hand wrapping, sparking calls for severe penalties against the boxer.

Adi Narayan, chairman of the Boxing Commission of Fiji (BCF), confirmed the unauthorized wraps and clarified that despite prior inspection and warnings, Kauyaca had used illegal wraps before being provided with the appropriate hand wrapping.

While Narayan denounced the circulation of false information, emphasizing that the illegal wrapping was not utilized during the fight, he expressed frustration over the prevalence of such practices in the sport.

Consequently, the BCF made the decision to strip Kauyaca of his title following extensive deliberation.

Despite the setback, Narayan revealed that both Kauyaca and Kwadjo would have the opportunity for a rematch, provided a promoter is willing to organize the bout.

This decision offers a glimmer of hope for both fighters to vie for the title once again, albeit under stringent regulations to uphold the integrity of the sport.

As Fiji’s boxing community grapples with the fallout from this incident, the focus now shifts to ensuring fair play and adherence to rules and regulations to preserve the reputation of the sport in the island nation.