Sakaraia Ve - Boxer

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PRESS RELEASE - MAKER OF CHAMPIONS
Book Release Date: November 30,2024.

“This is a great account of a compelling slice of Fiji's boxing history, from a significant personality of the Fijian boxing fraternity. Notably, it is also the first book to provide a historical account, of any sort, of boxing in Fiji. It reminded me of all that is possible and frustrating and wonderful about sport in Fiji.” – Greg Madhavan.

The period 1975 to 1980 is known as the golden age of boxing in Fiji.
In 1974, John Ramos spent a year in Newtown, Sydney training in the gym run by the legendary Ern McQuillan (senior), one of, if not the most prolific boxing trainer in Australian boxing history. Taking advice from McQuillan, Ramos returned home to Fiji and started his own boxing club in Suva in 1975.
Armed with his passion for boxing and a canny for matchmaking, Ramos turned two of his fighters – Sakaraia Ve and Wili Tarika - into national champions within 18 months.

Ve went on to become one of Fiji’s most exciting boxers for the time, challenging Clyde Gray twice for his Commonwealth Welterweight title in 1978.
Ramos ensured Ve’s legendary status by lining up fights against local champions such as Sher Gul, Balwant Singh, Bas Deo, Inia Catarogo and Jone Mataitini, who Ve despatched and took their titles.

Ramos then took Ve international, setting him up against the likes of renowned Australian fighters such as Steve Ayerst, Steve Dennis, Jeff Malcolm, Ross Eadie, Mark Barnett, Hector Thompson, Phil “Spider” Davis, Lawrence “Baby Cassius” Austin, Eric King and Ritchie Roberts to name a few. The Ve-bomb as Ve came to be known, also took on international fighters such as Ali Afakasi, Gilbert Orsaldo and Sammy Masias.
The Ramos Boxing Club was also home to the likes of fighters such as Jo Dawai, Setareki Bolatawa, Isikeli Veitala, Viliame Tabualevu, Anthony Naidu, Kaminieli Vunimasi and Tevita Tui.

In this book, Ramos shares his passion for boxing, his struggles with the administrators of professional boxing in Fiji, as well as his vision for the revival of amateur boxing in Fiji.
Ramos’s story also stretches beyond the shores of Fiji into the realm of big-time players in the world boxing scene such as Angelo Dundee and Bob Arum.
Ramos’s boxing legacy in Fiji remains unmatched.

Maker of Champions is written by Sylvia Low Tiffany, a former Fiji-based corporate communications professional, writer and television program producer. She was also Secretary for the Fiji Amateur Boxing Association (FABA) from 2010-2011.
Maker of Champions is scheduled for release on November 30, 2024.
Fans and readers can pre-order or purchase their copies from Baka Books in Suva.
Fans can also request their local library to stock copies for members to borrow.

How to order your copy:
Find Maker of Champions at your favourite online store by searching ISBN 9798227275950
Pre order online here: https://books2read.com/u/4j7k9k
Fiji – see Baka Books for your copy

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