Pisa Finai - The Samoan Slugger

A look back at Pisa Finai, a multi-star athlete and former BYU football player turned knockout artist.

[@pepepthesharkrips666]

This man is my uncle. Uncle pisa is the truth. One of the most hard working bad ass men I have in my life. Love you uncle.

[@Meat-pp5rh]

Jesus Christ is the Truth.

[@jacobfarley824]

I workes with him. Awesome worker and a great guy. Tell him Farley hopes he is doing well.

[@Ryanfury99]

​@@Meat-pp5rh Nah jesus ia a prophet not a God, only Truth is from God ☝

[@MrYoumitube]

This guy looks like a Samoan version of George Foreman. If he had the right trainer & manager he had great potential with his punching power and physique.

[@Aristotelezz]

Rich the Fight Historian is one of those channels where I first give the like and then watch the video.

[@bdshafer]

A Laie Boy who excelled in Football and Basketball. For me Pisa was the best Football player to play for the pride of the North Shore the home of the Kahuku High Red Raiders. Blessings Pisa

[@mangoMango-ck3et]

We had a lot of great Polynesian Boxers over the years in New Zealand,, Samoan, Tongan, Fijian...they hit really hard,example David Tua.

[@phychoassassin9745]

Who was a boxer that’s Fijian?

[@johnappleseed2558]

💯 who’s the boxer from rFiji? Who’s the boxer from Tonga?

[@ioanepese4319]

No one talks about Fijian or Tongans boxers if any, I mean not yet if ever 😂😂😂😂, now we have another upcoming Samoan Champion boxers Jai Opetaia..... Dominating the Cruiserweight division 😂😂😂😂. Fijian and Tongans you mean Junior Fa😂😂😂😂

[@IMBATMANANDIMCOOL]

​@@johnappleseed2558 Tongan boxer Kitione Lave back in the 50's was a great fighter. Paea Wolfgramm silver medalist gave Wladimir Klitschko a good fight for the gold. Hemi Ahio another good fighter. Don't be ignorant man.

[@ibringtherain7669]

@@johnappleseed2558Read up on your boxing history lad. Regardless they were there alongside the Hamo boxers of the 50s, 60s and 70s and through.

[@stephenfresquez3529]

Boy do I really miss the fight nights on ESPN and USA networks.... not to mention the boxing programs on the three major networks

[@justinfrancis7412]

Yes sir !!!! Those were the days and everyone fought everyone !!! I would see guys graduate from USA and ESPN fights to the hbo and showtime cards !! Boxing fans were spoiled and we didn’t know it ! I definitely miss it !

[@2383Scorpio]

Nice work and interesting research on the Samoan heavyweight boxer like Pisa Finai.

[@mikepedroza9218]

I remember him as a football player in high school in Hawaii he should have been in the NFL as a running back or safety sch a shame they didn’t give him a chance

[@SagansWar]

Interesting how you bring up these names I haven't thought about in a long time. I grew up watching Top Rank Boxing on ESPN and Tuesday NIght Fights on USA Channel. So I recognize all these fighters. I forgot about Finai. I remember it shocked me how he destroyed Gary Lightbourn

[@roncoleman9502]

I'm the same way I loved watching all the fights we use to watch man I'm feeling old but it doesn't seem that long ago. Rich is the man

[@karlyoung5089]

Yes! Lightburn was 9 - 0 when he fought Finai. Espn and USA Tuesday night fights was the shit. I watched them for years. It was a place where new fighters were made and old fighters went to retire. So many great fights!

[@roncoleman9502]

Never heard of him but pretty exciting to watch I think if he would have had a good trainer he might have gotten better who knows. I really enjoyed this one Rich keep bringing them I love to see these fighters that I don't know.

[@francdabanc2986]

I agree. He has a very unique style, and he could've been a household name had started out training in boxing instead football.

[@matthew-jy5jp]

You can get a PhD trying to figure out how many amazing fights Al Bernstein has called in his career. he was everywhere at all times 😂 i love Al. Such a great person and knowledgeable beyond belief

[@polandball694]

Best boxing channel! Keep up the great work at keeping these fighters' legacies alive!

[@roncoleman9502]

Rich is the man no better channel out there

[@RichtheFightHistorian]

Thanks! Will do!

[@polandball694]

@@RichtheFightHistorian If I may recommend, can you do one on Anton Christoforidis next? He has a very interesting story.

[@bennyadler5882]

When I first saw Pisa on a televised bout, he immediately reminded me (stylewise) of Niva Taoefano, another "smaller" (cruiserweight) heavyweight with a similar style who relied on punching power, despite Bill Slayton's training skills just a few years earlier.

[@mikekotlarich3287]

Thanks for taking the time out to do this Rich. As fans we all love a fighter like the Samoan.

[@RichtheFightHistorian]

Sure thing, Mike. Finai was a winger.

[@user-sk1qp9cf4s]

Never heard of him, seems like one of the best Samoan fighters ..

[@bennylevine387]

Very informative! I find it odd that I never really heard of him, nor do I remember watching him fight. But I recognized all his opponents you showed here. There's just always gonna be blind spots I guess.

[@Tolongalofa]

This is the greatest boxing Channel ever!!…. 👍🏽😁Love how you find skilled boxers to show on this channel not just big names but great fights and fighters!!… I just want to thank you for bringing back these amazing boxers back to life again!! I really mean that!!,….thank you so much from one massive boxing fan to another!! THANK YOU!!👍🏽🇦🇺

[@RichtheFightHistorian]

My pleasure, Trevor. Thank you for the support.

[@francdabanc2986]

I remember seeing his fight ads posted up at bus stops around town in S.L.C., UT., but I never got to see any of his fights. This is a good find.

[@joeylamuel5828]

I've never heard of this guy. Thanks for these pieces.

[@RichtheFightHistorian]

Sure thing, Joey.

[@whitehurstcomic]

A “Winger” I like that. Always fun to watch, riverboat gamblers. I don’t remember him at all, but he’s definitely a crowd pleaser. Thanks for the introduction!

[@RichtheFightHistorian]

Sure thing, Finai was a fun watch.

[@karlyoung5089]

Greetings Rich. You are the man. I'm so glad your channel is growing.

[@RichtheFightHistorian]

Hey thanks, Karl.

[@Alderak1]

2:38 How have i never seen that KO.

[@philiplangerman7375]

Good job Rich , doing a video on someone many might not know of . Obviously had natural talent but needed seasoning .

[@roncoleman9502]

So true I had not seen him before

[@RichtheFightHistorian]

Sure thing, Philip.

[@joegrantham4036]

Great stuff Rich! Thank you for expanding our knowledge!

[@RichtheFightHistorian]

Thanks for the support, Joe

[@hamishmcdog48]

I was at that fight. So many good fights at the Prom Center in the 80's

[@oncall21]

A great video Rich on what may have been. Thanks for sharing!

[@RichtheFightHistorian]

Sure thing, oncall21

[@muratsahan8697]

Good video and Finai seems to do still fine.

[@markgardner1499]

Love the videos my favorite channel...loved it when Greer kicked his ass....Do one on Michael

[@SagansWar]

Since you have all these guys down well, I guy that intrigued me was there was a teenage heavyweight named Dorian Melamed I believe on Top Rank Boxing. He only had a handful of fights but just destroyed his opponents and then just disappeared. I have never been able to find any footage on him, but I read he just stopped fighting.

[@RichtheFightHistorian]

Awhile back someone asked me about Melamed and I didn't get too much info on him, nothing beyond 1988 where he seems to disappear of the map. A "cold case" for now.

[@bjh7924]

Awww. What a shame. He would have definitely been good to watch & put bums on seats 😔 Great channel Rich ❤️🥊

[@RichtheFightHistorian]

Thanks so much

[@johnnymoondog9474]

His hair, body type, and all out aggressive style remind me of a less skilled Richard Torres

[@DANVIIL]

Gold from Rich!

[@dickspits8819]

Cool video I never heard of this guy 👍

[@1meximoan]

Good stuff Rich, please do one of the other Samoan Heavyweight David Tua.

[@RichtheFightHistorian]

Way down the road...Still focusing on pre-1990s boxers.

[@obama7828]

Hey are you gonna do one of these on Rickey Parkey, former IBF cruiserweight world champion?

[@RichtheFightHistorian]

I'll add him to the list.

[@elwoodwhite9734]

Damn! Bad dude Aaaay powerful

[@gianca60]

Finali looks like Victor Galindez with longer arms.

[@bigplanslittledrive4791]

The original Alan Babic 😄

[@trippz9746]

Ay das my unko

[@FukWhiteSuprmecy]

Remember old boxing... That first guy was getting tattooed-- ref wasn't even in the screen!!!

[@graemehuia5964]

A forerunner to David Tua.

[@purebloodheretic4682]

Hey Rich, Jimmy Thunder's career would make for Interesting Viewing! 🙏Rip Jimmy 😞🥀

[@RichtheFightHistorian]

Unfortunately his fights are under a promotion that will dole out the copyright strike...So he's a no go for now.

[@purebloodheretic4682]

@@RichtheFightHistorian Ahh what a bastard! Thanks for Unlocking Boxing History on Fighters we'd never hear from! Great Channel - Cheers👊👊

[@Talenisivagrackz-un9vz]

im the dragon slayer 🎉

[@andyvitale6071]

I remember this man hitting a guy and almost sending him over the ropes. He had no handling and should have hooked up with an established trainer. But that's what happens sometimes.

[@willyword3413]

Dude looks like Joe Diaz when he was young

[@cycletouringoz5760]

Bloody hell 😂

[@andrewwilliams8413]

When a prospect, comes up against a guy who isn't going to roll over ?

[@roncoleman9502]

Ha ha that's it

[@rojosik9385]

this guy can't fight he just a winger but a decent fight who counter and move he would knock him out

[@vigil82]

Cccchhheee Hhhuuuu!

[@Talenisivagrackz-un9vz]

hashirama 🎉

[@phelpsmarc]

I've heard of a lot of Samoan fighters but never this one. And I watched a lot of boxing from 84 onward. Did he ever make it past prelim status? I didnt get ESPN till 85. Samson Pouah, Jimmy Thunder and Tony Fulligani certainly made it much further than this guy

[@RichtheFightHistorian]

No, that Greer fight pretty much ended his run.

[@francdabanc2986]

You just named all the Polynesian guys that could have been. Samson had the most potential, but after he was bitten in the neck by that vampire - Golata, he lost his momentum, focus, and eventually his future in boxing. The others had talents, but started boxing in their later ages - just like Pisa.

[@anesu846]

He don't waste no time on the body huh

[@lemontadams3029]

Who?

[@johnjamele]

My response too!

[@matthew-jy5jp]

Always amazing content Rich.

[@RichtheFightHistorian]

Thanks, Matthew

[@ah93704]

Awesome video

[@RichtheFightHistorian]

Thanks, ah.