NATIONAL Light Middleweight champion Zulfikar Joy Ali has resumed full training ahead of his title defence against Opeti Tagi in March.
The two boxers will face off for the first time under the Naidiri Boxing Promotions banner at Nadi's Prince Charles Park.
Ali, once known as Fiji's Golden Boy, has not stepped inside the ring since his second round knockout loss to Ghanaian Joseph Kwadjo in November 2011 in Nadi.
"All this time there was no fight but I did not lose my fitness because I had been playing soccer," the 34-year-old said.
He said he learnt his lesson in the loss to Kwadjo for which he did not give much effort in training.
"That was a lesson for me that I should not train lightly so this time, I have begun my training early so that by the time of the fight, I am fully ready for it."
Ali and his younger brother Junior Farzan Ali are trained by their father Farzan Ali Sr.
In one of the supporting fights in the event, Johnny Singh will face Aisea Naite.