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Vince Bongailas was born in Cospicua on the 6th June 1964. At the age of 14, he fought his first unofficial, organised fight on the roof of his residence - and won. He had always been fascinated by the sport and decided from the onset that he should approach it with dedication and professionalism. He converted the washroom of his house into his private training quarters and through personal research and auto-instruction found a way to perfect his skill. When he was only 17, Vince moved to the U.K. as he trained for 4 years with the Westham Boys Boxing Club. Working against all odds, including disapproval from his family and lack of support from the local authorities, Vince climbed the ladder of success until, at the age of 20, he became the first, and only, professional Maltese boxer.
In 1986, as a Middle Weight, in the match Bongailas, Vince won after 12 rounds. In 1988 he trained with Salvatore Olivieri who became his personal trainer and promoter. In 1990 in San Remo, Italy, Vince won a technical Knock-Out by the 8th round against Tedd Metuci from Ethiopia. This victory earned him a placing in the 1st Class category allowing him to prepare for the Junior European Title, Super Welter. In the same year, in the WBC/WBO Boxing Exhibition held in Sicily, he won against Patrizio Olivia, and in 1993 in France, Vince won with a Knock-Out by the 6th round against another ex-World Champion, the American, Mike George Thomas. This placed him 22nd in the Professional Boxing Super Welter. His achievements, both locally and in the international scene, were instrumental in gaining popularity for the sport which had previously been viewed with disdain by the majority.
Boxing was not to be Vince’s only passion. As an adolescent, and at the same time that he was sparring in Saturday fights, he was happily participating in the town’s religious activities, initially as altar boy and later as a singer and musician in the local parish choir. It was here that his love for the guitar was conceived. Concurrently with his boxing training, Vince attended classes in guitar playing for a short period but long enough for him to realise that music was as important to him as boxing.
The guitar became his companion during his boxing career when he would play it purely for relaxation. He worked with famous Maltese celebrities, then joined and formed local bands. However, true to his philosophy that an artist should perform original numbers, he later composed his own music and lyrics in Maltese and English. He recorded albums in Malta, England, Germany, Holland and Wales and acquired modest triumphs in festivals in these countries.
In 1995, at the peak of his boxing career, Vince reluctantly decided to stop participating in organised matches as a boxer and dedicate his time on various project to train youngsters in the sport that had given him so many glorious moments. Vince also organised and took part in a number of fund raising marathons to support people with disability. He finally hung up his boxing gloves in 1994.
Vince Bong(AILAS) is still very active in the musical industry. He works solo, keeps a low profile and writes basic, well-constructed songs that relate personal experiences and contemporary society in a nonconformist style. Music inspires me when I see someone having a hard time in his life and millions of people run away from reality and that freaks them out. The truth is that I have always tried to find my way without copying anyone. I love the guitar to be able to create a melody as simple as can be. One more thing that inspires me mostly is the world and how it‘s functioning now a days. This modern world we live in,always changing because of the human being and how it should be sharing One Love!!! This means that everyone is doing many things without thinking of the consequences… and without realizing that one day we‘ll face a time when those consequences will ultimately help destroy the world! When I was young I always tried to find the simplest ways and my simplicity lead me to launch my 4th album!!!"
