(That’s What They Say

Lave—Fiji’S Gift To

Boxing

(That’s What They Say in Suva)

From Our Own Correspondent

Suva, Feb. 8.

\ STATEMENT published overseas that Kitione Lave, the- young Tongan boxer now in New Zealand, and said to be going to Australia in March, “learned his boxing from American sailors calling at Tonga’’ is fiercely contradicted in Fiji.

Lave, born in 1934 at Hunga, Vavau, Tonga, might he described as a Fijian gift to boxing. He was one of the star pupils of Daunibau, undefeated Fijian ex - middleweight and light - heavyweight champion, who, in 1947, went to Tonga at the invitation of a Tongan nobleman, Vilai Tupou, to help Tongan boxers end a long succession of failures against Fijian fighters.

Lave has won 18 of the 20 serious bouts of his career to date—l 4 knockouts and four wins on points—with a draw and a loss on points to complete the list.

The only man known to have floored Lave is the Fijian Semi Galoa. A terrific right-hand walloper, Semi caught Lave unexpectedly in the fifth round of a return bout. Lave got up before a count and promptly had Semi flat on his back for a full count.

Lave was defeated by Ken Brady of

Australia early in February in a 12-round bout at Auckland—but not by a knock out. The fight, in fact, was far from decisive, most of the spectators not knowing who had won until the judges gave their unanimous decision.

A New Zealand report, that another Tongan in the Dominion, G. Naufahu,

had won 18 out of 20 bouts in his career the two losses being to Lave, is no correct, either. It is on record tha Naufahu has lost four bouts —two to Lav in Tonga and two in Fiji, where Fijiai Jo Vucago knocked him out after sevei rounds in 1947 and Fijian Mike Ravul trounced him over 12 rounds in 1953.