Melvin follows his dad’s boxing footsteps

The name Chand is not new in the local boxing rings, and 13-year-old Melvin Chand will try and make a name for himself in the boxing arena.

The Year 9 student of Swami Viveknanda College in Nadi, who is the son of South Pacific Boxing promoter Freddy Chand, took part in his first ever amateur fight on Saturday at the Stanley Brown gym in Walu Bay, Suva.

Representing the Seaside Boxing Club, Chand said he brought his son to Suva to be part of the local boxing family.

“Melvin has been training for the past six months and this was his first amateur fight,” said Chand.

“He wanted to follow his father’s footsteps with boxing but he will be in the ring.

“We travelled all the way from Nadi for him to take part in today’s (Saturday) competition and I would like to thank the Fiji Amateur Boxing Association (FABA) for having a competition like this for upcoming boxers.”

Chand also urged FABA and the relevant authorities to have more appropriate boxing gyms and facilities around Fiji that will aid in the growth of the sport.

“I’d like to urge our youth and kids to take up boxing as it is a good way of learning self-defence and keeping a healthy lifestyle,” he said.

“But on the other note, FABA and the relevant authorities to make more boxing rings and gyms available in the West and right around Fiji.

“Since there is only one venue in Fiji and we all have to travel to Suva for this competitions, I plea with the Minister of Youth and Sports and other relevant stakeholders to help with this as it will help grow and develop the sport in the country.”

Chand lost to Steven Ledua of the Army Boxing Club in the youth category.

There were a total of eight boxing bouts with three minute by three rounds.