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Pasefika Ikitau qualifies for World Boxing Championship in Qatar

The boxing team that represented American Samoa at the 2015 Oceania Championship in Canberra, Australia last week, arrived safely yesterday morning, bringing home three medals for their country and families’ Tapuaiga.

 

Mapu Jamias, who is the president of the American Samoa Boxing Federation and also the Team Manager for Australia told Samoa News that the team is bringing home two important things for American Samoa — something that everyone should be proud of for the team.

 

“Not only are they bringing home three medals from the Oceania Championship, but one of our local boxers is now qualified for the World Boxing Championship. It’s another Olympic qualifier championship in Doha (Qatar) next month,” Jamias said with a smile on his face.

 

“It’s a huge step for us, as we’re trying to get a chance for the 2016 Olympics Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil,” said Jamias.

 

According to the confirmation letter from the AIBA Executive Director, Karim Bouzidi, forwarded to Samoa News by the ASBF, local boxer Pasefika Ikitau is now confirmed to participate in the AIBA World Boxing Championships in Doha, next month.

 

Ikitau won a silver medal for the first time in the light heavyweight division, while George Tanoa Jr., who was competing in the middle weight division and Robert Toilolo, who was competing in the heavy weight division, each won a bronze medal.

 

Jamias thanked Gov. Lolo Matalasi Moliga, families and friends for their prayers and support, which helped our team do well in the Oceania Championships.

 

“It’s not an easy task to fulfill, competing with some of the top boxers in the world from Australia and New Zealand — it’s one of the toughest assignments a local boxer can do, but my hat goes off to everyone who supported us, especially to our trainer Sala Sanele Etuale for putting together the team and training them. Without his support, our team would not make it to this level,” said Jamias.

 

The ASBF spent almost $10,000 to send the team to Australia with airfares, hotels and all the fees the team needed to pay at the tournament, according to Jamias.

 

Samoa News understands that the government donated $1,500 to assist the team, plus another $500 donation came from the Icon Engineering Company, while the rest of the money for the trip came out of Jamias’ pocket.

 

Speaking of Ikitau’s chance to compete at the World Boxing Championship next month, Jamias said it’s really a hard issue for him to decide because there is no money to send Ikitau to Doha.

 

“This is why we went to the Oceania Championship, to find a way to the World Boxing Championship and to the Olympics qualifier championship; for us to find a way to compete in the Olympics Games next year, but the main problem is, we don’t have funds to send Ikitau and a coach to Doha,” said the president of ASBF.

 

AIBA is giving Jamias one week to reply to their confirmation letter, to confirm if Ikitau will participate at the World Boxing Championship next month.

 

“Please note that your National Federation will have to send an official letter confirming that Ikitau will participate in the AIBA World Boxing Championships in Doha, by no later than the end of September 16, 2016,” the letter from Bouzidi says.

 

“If your National Federation does not confirm, or declines this allocated quota place within the given deadline, the unused quota place will be reallocated to the next best ranked boxer not yet qualified in the same weight category, from the Oceania Championship in Canberra, Australia 2015,” according to Bouzidi.

 

However, the ASBF president told Samoa News they cannot send Ikitau and a coach to Doha next month, because “we don’t have funds to send a team to Doha, but there is another qualifying championship in March next year, that’s where we’re planning to send a team to compete.”

 

Jamias said, “We have enough time to fundraise before the 2016 Olympics qualifying championship in Australia, in March (2016), and if our team does good at that tournament, then they will be able to represent American Samoa at the 2016 Olympic Games.”

 

“Our main aim is the Olympic Games. I want our team to be a part of the Olympic games next year, it’s a huge event and it will be a good chance for them to try out and compete with other top fighters around the world,” Jamias concluded.