Boxing stalwart assaulted

PAPUA New Guinea’s amateur boxing hierarchy delivered another low  yesterday when one of its prominent members resorted to physical violence over disappointment about his suspension from the Amateur International Boxing Association (AIBA) and the PNG Amateur Boxing Union (PNGABU) being made publicly known.
Around 3pm yesterday, a visibly angry Lohial Nuau, the former president of the PNGABU along with boxer Jack Willie, assaulted former president of the PNG Boxing Federation Nick Calibud in front of four police officers at the Gordon police station and Calibud’s lawyer.
The Filipino said that during a police interview, Nuau and his entourage became  abusive and he also claimed that Nuau looked to be under the influence of alcohol at the time.
It was during this interview where Calibud, a former professional boxing promoter, claimed that Nuau punched him once on the left side of his face at the same time breaking his K800 glasses and was consequently set upon by Willie with blows to his face and neck.
The issue sprouted from a warrant of arrest  issued for Calibud by Nuau over a contempt of court charge which Calibud claimed he was not a part of and, therefore, could not be held responsible for issues regarding the  PNGABU.
Both parties then made their way to the Gordon police station to settle the issue of the warrant, however, after claims that the warrant was flawed, tensions arose resulting in the  attack.
After the incident, Calibud and members of his group went to the Boroko police station with the warrant where they were told by officers that the warrant of arrest was indeed flawed.
Calibud added that Nuau was furious over his actions on Wednesday which led to the assault where Nuau disseminated copies of Nuau’s suspension notice to members of clubs under the PNGABU and the media during a meeting.
It is believed that Nuau did not want this information made public but was already  public property as it was published on the official AIBA website of the world body.
Calibud said: “Lohial is clearly trying to hide his suspension from the public after being officially suspended on Dec 18 last year.”
Calibud and his lawyer Francis Griffin officially filed a complaint with the Gordon police station after the incident yesterday with charges likely to be laid soon.