Spat between boxing promoters makes it to social media
Two local-based boxing promoters have become embroiled in a public spat, after the squabble made it to social media yesterday.
Professional boxing has enjoyed a rise in popularity in Singapore over the last 18 months, and the sport here marked another milestone when Muhamad Ridhwan became Singapore's first world champion by clinching the Universal Boxing Organisation (UBO) world super featherweight title earlier this month.
But a public war of words has broken out between promoters Arvind Lalwani and Scott O'Farrell.
Their disagreement is understood to have come about from the planned appearances by Lalwani-managed boxers Rafi Majid and Nurshahidah Roslie, in O'Farrell's upcoming event scheduled to take place in October.
Briton O'Farrell, who founded Ringstar Management last July, claimed Lalwani pulled out his fighters after initially agreeing to let them appear on the card.
Former national amateur boxer Lalwani, meanwhile, said that O'Farrell wants his boxers to feature exclusively in Ringstar's events.
The argument made it to social media yesterday when Lalwani posted a screenshot of a part of a text conversation between the two, on Facebook.
Lalwani told The New Paper: "I wanted to work with him, but I can't.
"He does not care about the scene here. He's only looking out for himself."
On the other hand, O'Farrell said: "I've offered the stage, the biggest crowd, the biggest exposure, and I worked very hard to get (Ringstar) to this point.
"(Lalwani) says he wants to be a part of it, and then he changes his mind like the wind."
Local boxing legend Syed Abdul Kadir was dismayed by the bickering, saying that the spat is detrimental to the growth of the sport here.
"I don't like what is happening, and it's no good for the sport," said the 1974 Sportsman of the Year.
"I don't know what is going on exactly, and I cannot take sides.
"I just hope everybody can come to a compromise.
"We are progressing nicely, then this happens. And on social media, where the whole world can see.
"In the end, who will lose out? The sport itself."
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