Pound 4 Pound Promotions has some very exciting news for the community.  Yesterday, they launched the 5th Vailima Corporate bash fight at the Taumeasina Island Resort. 

The event will be held on the 30 of August 2016.

Nathan Bucknall, the General Manager of Taumeasina Island Resort was present at the launch along with the organiser of the event, Vaaiga Leuluga Tuigamala, the fighters and the sponsors.

 “The whole objective is to help promote our boxing not just in the amateurs and professionals but also the corporate side of the business,” Tuigamala said.

“This gives our businesses the opportunity to step into the ring, the fight night is all about the corporate; business versus business, friends versus friends. 

“So it’s exciting to put an event together amongst our corporate.” Boxing is a huge sport in Samoa, he added. 

“And we are starting to bring that back through the amateurs.” The event is promising to be a fantastic event.

 “We’ve also got a couple of Ministers (who are) willing to step into the ring on that night. I am not so sure whether they will be putting on gloves or not, but Afamasaga Rico Tupa’i and Loau Keneti Sio will step inside the ring on that night.”

Moreover, our very own Professional boxer, Lupesoli’ai Joseph Parker will be present.

There will also be an auction. And according to Tuigamala, the money they will raise on that night will be presented to the Samoan athletes who will be representing Samoa to the Rio Olympic next month. 

“We will also acknowledge our Samoan athletes who will represent Samoa to the Rio Olympic on that night. We will have an auction and Lupesoli’ai Joseph Parker will also be putting up his hand to raise money for our athletes.”

However, Tuigamala said that giving something back to our athletes is not the main idea of the event; it is all about showing them our support. 

“We don’t acknowledge our sport people enough in this country, and we expect a lot from them,” he said.  “But I’m a true believer that Samoa has some of the greatest men and women in sport.

But I think that the challenge for them is that they get discouraged sometimes when we, as a nation don’t back them all the way. We let them do their own thing and hope that they will do well.  

“But I want to encourage our people and our country to get behind our athletes. Especially for this Olympic coming up, this is not just a mini game. It’s the pinnacle of every sport and countries from all around the world will be participating in this Olympic. 

“It’s not just trying to win a medal, their participation is more important. And looking at boxing as a game, it has made our country’s name known throughout the world.

Started from David Tua to Alex Le’apai who fought for the world title and now we have Joseph Parker as well. So we look at the ratio in terms of population, we are wow below, but we punch well above our heights, so I am very grateful that boxing is a sport that we are really good at. 

“But I think our country need to get behind our athletes and back them up. And this is what motivated me to acknowledge our Olympians on that night. We will put their photos up on the screen and whoever is here, we will ask them to come in the ring so that our whole country can see who they are. 

Because there is nothing greater than seeing our flag being carried into the stadium when the Olympic starts.

“So again, it’s going to be an exciting night to enjoy and celebrate the sport we love. Aside from rugby union and rugby league, boxing has been a sport that Samoans always enjoy.”

As the promoter and the organiser of the event, Tuigamala is grateful to all the sponsor who have welcomed his initiative and have shown their support for the event. 

He also extended his gratitude to the fighters who have put up their hands to fight on that night. 

“From lawyers to police officers, fire fighters, nurses and IT’s I take my hat off to all of you for having the willingness to do this. It takes a lot of courage to step inside the ring, let alone, to fight. 

One of the fighters, Maka Sapolu from Digicel praised the organiser for the initiative.

 “I was shocked when I got the call from Tuigamala to participate in the event,” he said. 

“But I am happy to do it because it’s for a good cause. We are fighting for purpose, and that is to support our athletes who will be carrying the flag of our country to the Olympic. The main thing to me is that these athletes will be representing our country in the Olympic. 

"It doesn’t really matter if they win gold medals or not, but the main important thing is to show our support. I am ready for the night.”

Nathan Bucknall also commended Tuigamala and the sponsors for putting together an important event and wished all the fighters the best for the night. The weigh in for all the fighters will be held at the Taumeasina Island Resort on the 29 of August 2016, at 10am.