42 Facts About Kitione Lave

Kitione Takitau Lavemai, who fought under the name Kitione Lave, was a Tongan heavyweight boxer from the island of Hunga, Vava'u and Kotu, Ha'apai.

Once he had completed his time with the RAF, Kitione Lave became a successful nightclub owner running an establishment in Sheffield.

Kitione Lave died after a long illness at a rest home in Beach Haven in 2006.

Kitione Lave began his boxing career as a teenager on the island of Vava'u, Tonga.

Kitione Lave's first recorded fight took place on Vava'u where, at the age of 16, he won a three round fight on points.

Kitione Lave then moved to Fiji, where in August 1952 he beat Semi Galoa with a last round knockout.

Kitione Lave knocked out his opponent in the fifth round to take his first belt.

Kitione Lave defended this title on 13 April 1953 in Fiji through another knockout victory in the second round against Inoke Davu.

In June 1953 Kitione Lave travelled to New Zealand on the steamship Tofua.

Kitione Lave continued to be matched against top opponents, and his very next fight was against Australian Allen Williams, the New South Wales State Heavyweight Champion.

Kitione Lave failed to be overwhelmed by his opponent and stopped the future Australian champion in the eighth round.

In September 1954 Kitione Lave travelled to Melbourne to face Brady for a second time.

Again the Englishman had the advantage and Kitione Lave was knocked out for the first time in his career.

Kitione Lave finally managed to get his revenge, knocking Brady out in the final round of a twelve round contest.

Kitione Lave was back in Australia at the start of 1955, and in January he beat Ross Jenkins in Sydney following this with a win over Steve Zoranich in Perth.

The contest, held at Broken Hill Stadium went the distance, with Kitione Lave taking the decision.

In 1955 Kitione Lave travelled to England to continue his career, under the management of Woodcock, where he was dubbed The Tongan Terror.

Kitione Lave was given a baptism of fire when his first opponent being Commonwealth Heavyweight champion Johnny Williams.

Kitione Lave followed this fight with a contest against up and coming title challenger from Tyne and Wear, Manuel Burgo.

Three weeks later Kitione Lave beat Eddie Hearn, before resting for seven days to travel to Birmingham to face the dangerous Jamaican Joe Bygraves.

Kitione Lave started the fight well, but Bygraves slowly took control of the fight and took the points decision after the eight round contest came to an end.

Kitione Lave followed the defeat with a victory over Fred "Nosher" Powell in Lave's first match in London.

Kitione Lave ended the year in defeat, this time to former European Boxing champion Jack Gardner.

Kitione Lave began 1956 in better form, winning three consecutive fights.

Cockell retired after his contest with Kitione Lave, having just a year earlier faced Rocky Marciano for the World Heavyweight title.

Kitione Lave's successes led to a title challenge for the vacant Commonwealth heavyweight title.

Kitione Lave's opponent was Joe Bygraves, who had defeated Lave in 1955.

Kitione Lave ended the year with a win over American Young Harry Wills at the ice rink in Nottingham, before travelling to Germany to knockout Guenter Nurnberg in the first round in an encounter in Berlin.

Kitione Lave fought infrequently in 1957, with just three matches, all of them ending in defeat.

Kitione Lave left Britain in 1958 and returned to the Southern hemisphere.

Kitione Lave fought just once that year, losing to American Mormon missionary, Chuck Woodworth at Carlaw Park in Auckland.

Kitione Lave won six of them through knockouts, but he lost his South Seas Heavyweight title to Mosese Varasikete after suffering a technical knockout in the first round.

Kitione Lave ended the year back in Europe, facing the European champion Franco Cavicchi in Bologna, Italy.

Kitione Lave took Cavicchi the distance but again lost on points.

In 1960, Kitione Lave was back in Great Britain, but his best was behind him.

Kitione Lave's first fight back in England ended in controversy after the referee stopped the match against Joey Armstrong in the fifth, declaring neither boxer was 'giving their best'.

Just a week later Kitione Lave was back in the ring, stopping Jim Cooper, the twin brother of heavyweight champion Henry Cooper, in the sixth.

Kitione Lave ended 1960 with a win over former ABA champion Dave Rent, before losing to both Ulli Nitzschke in Germany and Tony Smith back in England.

Kitione Lave fought only twice more, both in 1963 when he was stationed in Singapore with the RAF.

Kitione Lave won both fights, against Australian Tony Vickers and Fijian heavyweight champion Isimeli Radrodro.

In 2007, a year after his death, Kitione Lave was inducted at the inaugural Tongan Sporting Hall of Fame.

Kitione Lave wrestled in Sheffield where he owned his night club, and while in Singapore he was managed by Emile Czaja, fighting alongside the likes of Prince Kumali.