After frantic efforts to get his visa issued in time and landing
in Mumbai just six hours before his fight, the Tongan giant Uaine
Fa ensured all the work done by the people who got him there was
not in vain as he won his debut WSB match against Arslanbek
Makhmudov of Dynamo Moscow last weekend.
It was one rollercoaster ride arriving for your match. How
did you deal with it?
It was not easy; I had never experienced a situation like this
before. I was in Hong Kong and my entry was refused due to issues
with my passport so I started to panic. I thought I would probably
be late for my match and feared I could even miss it all
together. I kept calm and focused and used the time to
prepare for my fight mentally. I had barely any money on me so I
called my coach who then contacted someone he knew in Hong Kong and
the Mumbai Fighters management made their calls, worked their magic
and well the rest as they say, is history... (Laughs)
Did you feel at any point that the delay would affect your
performance?
Of course I did, I realised I was landing only late afternoon and
had to fight in the evening. It was a risk and I was not sure my
body would react. I was apprehensive as I doubted myself all the
time. But I decided to fight for those people who put in all the
effort to get me to Mumbai, the fight and the win was for
them.
Your opponent Arslanbek Makhmudov of Dynamo Moscow is known to be
tough, how did you prepare for this fight?
My coach watched several tapes and realised his big right hand was
his main weapon. So the game plan was to avoid that hammer of a
right hand and box clever. My strengths are my speed and
athleticism so I knew I had to keep moving, use my jab and quick
counter punches.
You got rave reviews for showing guts and determination,
your win securing a valuable point for the Mumbai Fighters, how do
you feel?
It is pleasing to know people appreciate your art. When I found
out that I was fighting for the Fighters following the draft, I was
excited. I knew the Indian fan base had great supporters as I had
been to India in 2010 for the Commonwealth Games and that
experience had been amazing. So I was looking forward to coming
back. I was happily surprised to see such positive response in the
press and in the media.
How was it to fight in the T-Box Mobile open arena? Was
this your first time fighting outdoors?
Yes it was my first experience and I really enjoyed it. Once I was
in the ring I was fully focused on my fight. I did notice the
comfort of boxing outdoors however as I usually sweat a lot during
fights, but in this bout I was cooled down by the gentle breeze
throughout the five rounds. In retrospect it was the perfect
conditions.
After the Commonwealth Games in October 2010, your next
tournament was the AIBA World Boxing Championships in Baku,
Azerbaijan, in September 2011. It is a long time to wait in between
competitions, what did you do in that time?
I just trained hard and kept my focus. In Tonga and New Zealand
there are not many opportunities to compete so I sparred as much as
I could and trained even harder so as not to lose motivation.
Joining the Mumbai Fighters in the WSB has been great and my last
fight was a real eye-opener, it was one of the toughest battles I
have ever been in, I really had to dig deep.
It is very different performing in this competition, how
did you adapt to pro format of the WSB?
My coach and my father are the ones to thank here, they ensured
that I was in top shape and prepared me mentally for this
change.
Coming from a rugby-mad country, why did you choose
boxing? You had all the physical attributes needed to become a good
rugby player.
Boxing was my calling, I played rugby but boxing was the one for
me, I knew it straight from the first instant I donned gloves. It
is in my blood, my father was a boxer and it just came naturally to
me. The rest of my family had to be convinced at first but when
they saw how dedicated I was, they knew it was the right choice.
And look at me now; I am competing in the one of the world's best
boxing competitions.
Has your family embraced your choice of
profession?
They are very happy for me, my mother was really excited to see me
make my debut for the Mumbai Fighters, she wanted me to go for the
knock-out!
Who is your boxing hero?
Evander Holyfield. He is so tough mentally and has amazing
willpower. He has a heart of warrior. A true legend. I am so
pleased to know he is a fan of the WSB.
Beyond boxing, what else do you do?
I am an aluminium joiner during the day and once I clock-off I hit
the gym. In my spare time though I go to church, play piano and
hang out with friends. Partying is not for me.
We saw you were the face of a leading cola brand during the 2011
Rugby World Cup, how did that happen?
An advertising agency was searching for a big Tongan guy who was
not all that ugly and for some reason I was chosen for the three
second clip (Laughs). I thought it was quite exciting when I was
approached. An acquaintance of mine had put them in contact with me
and it all happened from there.
Tell us something more about Uaine Fa Junior the
person
I like home-made burgers, however all of course as part of a
balanced diet, my favourite actress is Scarlett Johansson, she
ticks all the boxes for me, I am a big fan of the movie 300 and one
of my idols growing up was Christian Cullen, the great New Zealand
rugby fullback.
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