When contacted yesterday South Pacific Boxing Promotions Mohammed Shameem said they are ready to talk with Hill and assist him in his training.
From left: A bloodied Jyl Wright of Australia is unable to defend himself against Fiji’s Winston Hill at Prince Charles Park in Nadi on May 18, 2024. Hill won on an eighth round TKO to claim the IBO Asia Pacific super welterweight title. Photo: Waisea Nasokia
The newly crowned international Boxing Organisation (IBO) Asia Pacific super welterweight champion Winston Hill believes he needs more help if he is going to go for international and world title fights.
Hill made the comment on Saturday night after his eighth round TKO (technical knockout) win over Australia’s Jyl Wright at Prince Charles Park, Nadi.
Wright suffered an ugly gash on his right eyebrow, which prompted his trainer Dave Hegarty to throw in the towel.
“I want to bring those titles to Fiji,” Hill said.
“I want to bring in international crowd to boost sports tourism and raise the bar across to grassroots boxing. This all contribute to our Fijian economy.”
Hill said for this fight the physical training he had to go through with members of his team was challenging.
“I did not have many sparring partners. I had only Daniel Whippy from day one. We did only 28 rounds in this eight-week camp, so this was very challenging as we did not benefit a lot from it,” he said.
“I wanted to show the world that we can do it with very limited resources. Fiji can make it just like what Sakaraia Ve did in his prime.”
Ve, a welterweight boxer, was the only Fijian who was rated in the top 10 by the World Boxing Association and World Boxing Council in the 1980s.
When contacted yesterday South Pacific Boxing Promotions Mohammed Shameem said they are ready to talk with Hill and assist him in his training.
“I’ve a lot of respect for Jyl Wright and his team for making it to our shores.
“To be honest I was scared to come to the ring tonight. This has been with me right from my first fight as an amateur up to now. I still have butterflies in my stomach.
“I still have that fear. Tonight, it was different and it was the fear of us not stepping out of the ring. I did not want to see him (Wright) cut out but instead wanted him to return home safely.”
The 30-year-old said he was glad at the immediate reaction of Wright’s trainer by throwing in the towel.
“They threw the towel in because it was painful watching him getting punished in the last few rounds,” Hill added.
When approached Wright was gracious in defeat and wanted to keep his option open by returning to Fiji to fight again.
“No excuses, I got beaten fair and square that’s boxing. We will be back.
“We had fallen off from what we had to do. That’s boxing when you don’t execute what you are supposed to do.”
Feedback: waisean@fijisun.com.fj
