{"id":338352,"date":"2023-10-13T05:02:17","date_gmt":"2023-10-13T05:02:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/?p=338352"},"modified":"2023-10-13T06:00:39","modified_gmt":"2023-10-13T06:00:39","slug":"unprepared-pangai-back-pedals-after-bold-statement","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/?p=338352","title":{"rendered":"'Unprepared' Pangai back-pedals after bold statement"},"content":{"rendered":"

Tevita Pangai Junior<\/a> has wound back comments he'll be ready to fight in a few weeks after calling for a rematch against Frank Amato.<\/p>\n

The former NRL<\/a> star defeated Amato in an enthralling fight that went to the judge's decision after the pair wound up hard up against the ropes at the end of an epic slugfest.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Minutes after the match, Pangai Junior vowed to be ready to go again and challenged his opponent to another fight \u2013 evidently frustrated he didn't get a knock-out win.<\/p>\n

Watch all the action from the 2023 Professional Fighters League.<\/strong><\/em> Streaming ad free, live and on demand on Stan Sport<\/strong><\/em><\/a><\/p>\n

However, taking to social media less than a week on, the ex-Bulldogs front-rower said he had reassessed his situation.<\/p>\n

\"Tevita<\/p>\n

"I've learnt a valuable lesson about the sport of boxing, me and my team\u2026 have decided I need six months to build a solid foundation in the sport, from basics, footwork to defence to fitness and endurance," he wrote.<\/p>\n

"I love this sport but more importantly I love the process. There is no quick win or quick buck and I never want to enter the square unprepared ever again!\u00a0<\/p>\n

LIVE UPDATES:<\/strong> AFL trade period 2023<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

READ MORE:<\/strong> Steve Smith stunned by review shocker<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

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"Lastly would like to thank my wife (Anna Pangai) for allowing me to risk it all to prove to myself that I can do the impossible.\u00a0<\/p>\n

"Hate me or love me, thank you. I'll be back. Time to grind and master the basics (sic)."<\/p>\n

https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/CyUqXDXR8Wk\/?igshid=NzZhOTFlYzFmZQ%3D%3D<\/a><\/p>\n

Speaking after the fight, Pangai Junior earmarked Australian heavyweight Jackson Murray as a future opponent.\u00a0<\/p>\n

He recently sparred with Francis Ngannou, who will feature on PFL's fight card in 2024.\u00a0<\/p>\n

"I don't have an amateur career. So what? I'm going to prove the doubters wrong," said Pangai Junior on Stan's coverage.<\/p>\n

\"Pangai<\/p>\n

"I'm going to do it. I'm going to get back in the gym on Sunday, tomorrow. While everyone's partying, I'm going to train.<\/p>\n

"I've got that Tongan chin. It's granite. Nothing can put me down. I'm a heavyweight, but I can take them punches.<\/p>\n

"I'm not going to go ducking and dodging like Jackson Murray.<\/p>\n

"I've got a chin baby. Jackson Murray, I'm going to build my f—ing way up and take you on, b—h."<\/p>\n

He was true to his word and back in the gym shortly after the fight.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Tevita Pangai Junior has wound back comments he'll be ready to fight in a few weeks after calling for a rematch against Frank Amato. The […]<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":338354,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/338352"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=338352"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/338352\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":338357,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/338352\/revisions\/338357"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/338354"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=338352"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=338352"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=338352"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}