Sunia Cama, former Fiji heavyweight boxing champion and one of the country's top trainers, died in Suva on Friday morning (Feb 19).
Cama died in his sleep at around 6am inside his car which was parked on the pavement outside his Toorak restaurant.
The 67-year-old first appeared onto the boxing scene when he won the Fiji light heavyweight title in 1969 and went on to become the Fiji heavyweight champion in the 1970s.
He fought the likes of Tongan's Fonomanu Sekona, Mani Vaka, the late Marika Naivalu, Vuniivi Nadumu, Samuela Vocea, Koli Vailea, Niko Degei, Johnny Gorkom, Den Compain and Australian Quentin Waters.
He was the only Fijian boxer to have beaten tough Samoan heavyweight Fossie Schmidt.
Cama was also known to have trained some of the best boxers in Fiji, including Anthony Naidu, Isimeli Lesi, Koroi Vodo, Atama Matauloki, Sunia Cama Junior, uprising Petero Qica Junior.
Well known for his rigid discipline programmes, most of his fighters went on to become champions.
Ardent Auckland boxing enthusiast Ahmed Khan, of Pakuranga, said Fiji had lost a huge boxing identity.
“He was a huge man inside the ring and also made his presence felt outside of boxing,” Khan told the Indian Weekender.
His cousin Petero Qica Senior, who was with Cama before he passed away, said the former champion died peacefully without any signs of pain.
"After we came back from training on Thurday night, he was at his usual behaivour, talking and joking with the boys," Qica told the Fiji Times.
Qica said Cama preferred to sleep in his car because of the humid weather while the rest of the boys were seated outside the restaurant.
"Around 3am he woke up to check the daily takings from the restaurtant before he went back to the car.
"After six in the morning, we heard he had a problem with his breathing."
Qica said Cama had collapsed during training at the YMCA on Tuesday.
"But after we attended to him, na qase told us he was all right.
Qica said Cama's untimely death brought the Toorak community together.
Wife Seini Makosoi said Indian neighours and friends all alike came into the shop enquiring about the news.
He is survived by his wife and 12 children.
