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MASELINO WULF-MASOE WORLD MIDDLEWEIGHT CHAMPION
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By Lave Tuiletufuga |
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It was a dream for Maselino
Wulf-Masoe, to return to his birthplace at Togafuafua as a world
champion. It is no longer a dream but a reality for the 38-year old WBA
World Middleweight Champion.
A homecoming was also held at his hometown Auala, Savaii for him and
his family of four children and Mrs. Matalena Masoe. It was a time to
celebrate and a time for Mrs. Sophia Wulf and Masoe Fao to return
thanks to the almighty for granting their son’s boyhood dream.
Ironically, Maselino’s time off was approved by the WBA to recover from
a broken right hand sustained during his world fight for the title
against Evans Ashira in Miami last May. He has been excused from a
mandatory first defense which was suppose to take place 90 days after
he floored the overly confident Ashira to win the world crown. He now
has six months to recuperate.
Broken bones is nothing new to the veteran boxer who admits that it’s
the fourth time that his same right had fractured during his 21 years
in the ring. He has recovered from back injuries not to mention some
severe facial bruises but he has weathered it all.
The fifth in a family of 15 children, Maselino grew up learning to
share what he has. He was not mum’s boy and his father was and remains
as “strict as they come,” he says.
Endurance and learning to take the pain from the ferocious training by
his father and two uncles Isitolo and Sululoto Peter Wulf had made him
“tough.”
But it was David Tua, who pushed him to turn professional after three
Olympic Games representing American Samoa that fine tune his skills to be a
world contender. Maselino says that critics have called his second round knock
out to win the WBA title as a fluke. And he appreciates it saying it is a
challenge that should motivate him to prove that he is not a pretender but a
contender.
His opponent for his first defence is still under negotiations by flamboyant
promoter Don King. But there are rumors that Maselino may face the great Felix
Trinidad making his way back from retirement.
Whoever it will be, Maselino is appreciating the time off to mentally prepare
and spend some needed quality time with his family in Samoa and New
Zealand. For uncle |
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WBA champion Maselino Masoe with his parents Masoe Fao and
Sophia Wulf Masoe while visiting Samoa. |
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Sululoto Wulf, uncle and former coach looks on as Maselino works
the punching bag at home in Togafuafua. |
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Maselino Masoe takes five with cousins and relatives in front of
their Togafuafua home. |
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Sululoto Peter Wulf, his nephew’s world championships are also a dream
come true for him.
History repeated itself also for Sululoto as he watched his nephew in training
at the Maselino gymnasium at his home, build by the uncle to honor his nephews’
greatest achievements. Historical enough, the punching bag in the gym is the
same used by uncle and nephew for training 29 years ago when Maselino first
started his amateur career.
Maselino’s advice is always to believe in God and yourself. And to always
respect your elders and parents. He says that he also believes that there is a
reason for good or bad things to happen. And it’s a good thing for him, his
family and Samoa that he is a World Champion.
As for retirement, he believes that he has a few good years left and when that
comes, he plans to return to Samoa to start a small business as an investment
for his family’s future.
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Copyright Event Polynesia Ltd. 2004
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