Ramos who was suspended by PBWAF at that time decided to go ahead with the fight. Following that was Ve’s letter to PBWAF indicating that his chief trainer won’t be in his corner.
A dispute between the Professional Boxing and Wrestling Association of Fiji (PBWAF) and veteran trainer John Ramos almost stopped him from being in Sakaraia Ve’s corner against Ali Afakasi in 1977.
This was revealed in Ramos’ book ‘Maker of Champions’ to be release on Saturday.
Afakasi who is from Samoa was based in New Zealand and was Ve’s second international opponent.
He was rated in the Commonwealth’s welterweight division and was seen as Ve’s stepping stone to a Commonwealth title, which was already planned a year before.
Afakasi had won the South Seas welterweight title in 1974 after stopping Inia Catarogo in the fourth round. At that time he also had the NZ lightweight, welterweight and Australasian welterweight titles.
Ramos who was suspended by PBWAF at that time decided to go ahead with the fight. Following that was Ve’s letter to PBWAF indicating that his chief trainer won’t be in his corner.
The letter took PBWAF secretary Mumtaz Ali by surprise.
“We did not ask Ve for his statement,” Ali said.
“He did it in his own initiative and I’m very glad because he would have jeopardised his own boxing career had he stuck to Ramos.”
However, Ve indicated that even with Ramos not at his corner it did not mean that they are through as a team.
Sakaraia Ve (right) shakes hand with HRH Prince Edward who is now the Duke of Edinburgh in Levuka on October 1982.
“Actually, we thought the association would have rejected the programme if Ramos was in my corner, so we talked it over. Since this is a very important fight for me, we have decided to take this approach,” Ve said.
Ali also expressed surprise at Ramos decision and respect for PBWAF contrary to the public opinion.
Ramos channeled his energy into preparing Ve for this crucial international fight.
As the fight drew closer, Ramos had a decision to make as Ve wanted him in his corner for the all-important fight. For that to eventuate Ramos had to swallow his pride and make an unreserved apology to PBWAF, which he did through his solicitor. In the letter, he also withdrew his earlier negative statements against PBWAF.
On receiving the letter, Ali called an urgent meeting to discuss possible reinstatement.
Following their meeting, PBWAF agreed that the 12-month suspension against Ramos be lifted. The decision was meet with relief and joy from Ramos camp.
The fight would bring more than 300 of Ve’s kinsmen from Lovoni to the Laucala Bay Hangar to watch and cheer on their ‘Golden boy.’
At 30, Afakasi was eight years Ve’s senior with a fight record that stood at 27-5-1 to Ve’s 17-1-0. Afakasi’s amateur record was also impressive with gold medal wins at the 1966 and 1969 South Pacific Games.
The fight ended with a sixth round TKO (technical knockout) victory for Ve after he opened a cut over Afakasi’s eye. His solid hits to Afakasi’s head also started an uncontrollable nosebleed in the earlier rounds. This was Afakasi’s second TKO loss.
Ramos said the win also prompted PBWAF’s Ali to actively engage with the British Boxing Board of Control to consider Ve for a Commonwealth title shot.
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