Boxing mismatch: Teremoana finishes 'Flabby Fijian'

It wasn't the boxing spectacle it had been promoted to be: Cook Islands-Scottish-Australian heavyweight Teremoana Samson Junior Leon Teremoana against Fijian fist-forcer James 'The Beast' Singh.

The bout ended just as quickly as it had started, Teremoana swiftly defeating Singh in a contest that lasted less than two minutes at the Qudos Arena in Sydney on Saturday night.

Known for his powerful punches, Teremoana dashed Singh's hopes of an upset during the event, which was held under the spotlight of the George Kambosos Jr and Jake Wyllie wildcard.

Before the fight, Singh, whom the Australian media has called 'Flabby Fijian', confidently stated that he would hand Teremoana his first defeat, but the reality turned out to be quite different.

The referee stopped the fight just two minutes and 12 seconds in, declaring Teremoana the clear winner after knocking down Singh in the first round.

Many in the crowd were unhappy with the quick stoppage, but the referee had to act as it was evident that Singh was outmatched.

Singh’s professional record now stands at 12 wins and seven losses, while Teremoana remains undefeated with seven wins, all by knockout.

"I want to keep fighting, and I’m ready to take on anyone who steps into the ring with me," Teremoana told journalists after the fight.

As a gold medallist at the 2023 Pacific Games in the Solomon Islands, he qualified to represent Australia in the super heavyweight division at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.

Teremoana Teremoana knocks down James Singh. Photo/Dan Himbrechts

Teremoana faced Ukraine's Dmytro Lovchynyski in his Olympic debut and won the bout via first-round knockout.

In the quarter-finals, he faced Bakhodir Jalolov, the reigning Olympic champion from Uzbekistan, but lost the match 5-0.

Teremoana was born in Campbelltown, Sydney. His Australian mother has Scottish ancestry, and his father is from the Cook Islands. He grew up in Brisbane, Queensland.

The 27-year-old has his sights set on the world heavyweight championship title. "We're taking it one step at a time, but I'll carry the flag for Australia and the Cook Islands to the world stage."

Before the fight, Singh from Sigatoka says he's facing a tough opponent, yet he's determined to create a significant upset.

He was up against Teremoana, who had never lost and had finished all his previous fights with knockouts.

Promoter Eddie Hearn even predicted that Singh could become a world champion within the next one to two years.

"Right now, it looks tough, but anything can happen once we’re in the ring," Singh says, believing his fighting style could surprise Teremoana.

Despite the obvious size difference, Singh was confident in his strategy to pressure his opponent during the fight.

He says he's fighting not just for money but also for his family, as he is a father of two young boys.

Boxing began as a way for Singh to avoid trouble in his youth.

His last fight had ended bizarrely, with both he and his opponent disqualified after chaos erupted in the ring.

Dubbed 'Flabby Fijian' by the Australian media, James 'The Beast' Singh fails to upset Teremoana Teremoana. Photo/Dan Himbrechts

Hearn says he had never witnessed such disorder in a match before.

"I’m excited to bring some energy to this fight," Singh says. "People think I’m just going to be an easy win for him, but I’m ready to give it my all."

Teremoana welcomed Singh’s challenge, saying, "Thanks for coming all the way from Fiji, but you have a real challenge ahead of you. I hope you’re ready to fight hard because if you are, I’ll be prepared to end it quickly."

Both fighters aimed to prove themselves, but in the end, Teremoana showcased his strength and skill in the ring.

Kambosos Jr defeated Wyllie via unanimous decision (117-11, 117-111, 115-113).

New Zealand-born Australian boxer Chernaka Johnson has successfully defended her WBA bantamweight title with a TKO victory over Brit Nina Hughes in a rematch. The fight ended 46 seconds into the seventh round.

New Zealand-born Australian boxer Cherneka Johnson proudly shows off her championship belt after her win over Nina Hughes. Photo/Dan Himbrechts

The win improves Johnson's record to 17 wins out of 19 fights and resolved the controversy from the previous match, which she lost by majority decision. Johnson controlled the fight, delivering punches.

Meanwhile, the boxing world is mourning the death of former heavyweight champion George Foreman, who died on Friday aged 76.

The American, known for his remarkable comeback and reclaiming the heavyweight title after retirement, was described as a humanitarian, Olympian, and two-time heavyweight champion.

His family stated in an Instagram post that Foreman was dedicated to preserving his legacy. He first lost the title to Muhammad Ali in the famous "Rumble in the Jungle" in 1974 and later regained it by knocking out Michael Moorer in 1994.

Foreman became an icon of self-improvement for the Baby Boom generation, particularly known for his successful line of fat-wicking electric cooking grills.

Former world heavyweight boxing champion George Foreman in Johannesburg, South Africa, in 2001. Photo/File/Reuters