Fighters paid accordingly, promoter says

By BENJAMIN KOITAKA
FIGHTERS who took part in the PNG Professional Boxing Gymnasium show on Dec 22 received their payments, says president Elvin Wafewa.
Wafewa confirmed that his body had paid the nine Port Moresby-based fighters — in the supporting and main bouts as well as the exhibition bout received their payments before the fight.
“This was a negotiable contract where no fighters would have any doubts or issues against me or our patron (Ben Micah) or the club itself over the money they received,” Wafewa said.
He said both losers and winners received their payments.
“The highest purse was for the main bout and all the other fights were paid according to their level. We don’t have many sponsors so we paid what we could afford and what the fighters accepted,” he said.
Wafewa, who would not give specifics said every fighter had agreed to the amount they would fight for and recieved part payment before the bouts before the balance was completed after the show.
Wafewa stressed that the fighters did not have the recognition to be able to demand larger purses but this would change once they began to become more popular and recognised by the various sanctioning bodies in the Pacific region.
“There will be issues but fighters must know that professional boxing is making a comeback and getting more support will take time but at least PNGPBG have started.
“Universal Promotions and PNGPBG are trying our best to raise these fighters to be recognised so they can be in bigger fights in the future,” Wafewa said.
Wafewa said that in negotiating with fighters there had been an understanding that because of the lack of sponsorship they could not make guarantees but had agreed verbally to a range of figures.
“Our verbally agreed amounts were honoured.
Wafewa said the judges and referees and other officials were also paid by the Universal Promotion.
“We don’t have any obligation to pay them as we are just the promoters of individual boxers.
Indo-Pacific Boxing Association crusierweight champion John Korake was disappointment after claiming he was not paid the amount he had agreed on.
He said having properly organised contracts was important.