Boxing |26 January 2008

While others have been discussing with friends about the issue, former Seychelles heavyweight champion Michael Pillay came to the Seychelles Nation office on Thursday to comment on the interview.

Taking a hard stance, the old champ almost knocked out (KO) the young lad with his strong words and deep reflection.
“It seems he (Kitson) hasn’t got the heart anymore. He is scared of stiff competition. No pain, no gain in life and nothing’s easy in boxing. There must be something wrong in his mind and I feel he was pressured to make this decision (to hand in his resignation),” Pillay told Sports Nation.

One of Seychelles’ living boxing legends, Pillay added that he cannot understand how come Kitson has handed in his resignation but at the same time says that he will get himself ready for the next African Olympic qualifier in March?
“Who is he to decide in which competition he should compete? It’s the coach’s decision not his. He is wasting the opportunity given to him. He’s won medals for Seychelles and that’s good. But I believe he now sees himself as a king and this is why he wants to choose with which coach to train. Pacheco is a professional coach and he knows what he is doing. Kitson has no reason not to train with Pacheco. He (Kitson) has no patience in his attempt to conquer.

“Has he forgotten that all of what he is benefiting comes from the tax payers’ money? So much money has been invested in him by the Seychelles government and the Seychelles National Olympic Committee (Snoc). What has he given back to the community in the eight years he has been boxing? As a role model he should leave such unruly behaviour to somebody else. His action could also damage the reputation of the sport of boxing,” said Pillay.

It is to note former heavyweight Pillay is one of the athletes who represented Seychelles for the first time at the Olympic Games in the former Soviet Union in 1980. He won his first bout and lost the second.

At the first edition of the Indian Ocean Islands Games (IOIG) in 1979 in Reunion, Pillay won a gold medal
In the now defunct Fescaba tournament, Pillay won a bronze medal in the 67-kg category in 1978 and a gold medal in the 71-kg division in 1984.

G. G.