Listless, the former Warriors top try scorer fell into the smuggling ring and began helping arrange the shipment of large quantities of methamphetamine.
He and his brother Lopini Vatuvei were caught importing $200,000 worth of the illicit drug into the country in 2020, a crime for which the former league star was sentenced to three years and seven months imprisonment.
His son was born just days after he arrived at Auckland South Correctional Facility, but he wouldn’t find out until a week later when his Covid isolation had ended.
“Getting that letter about my son being born was the switch. That’s when I realised I had to get out of there.”
This is why while Vatuvei said prison is a “f***in’ shithole” he “wouldn’t wish on anyone”, it was also “the best thing to happen” to him.
“If I didn’t go to prison, I wouldn’t be talking to you right now. I’d be doing even more stupid stuff. It helped me heal from being depressed and getting over the fact that I was done.”
The league player said he had turned his life around since he was released on parole in 2023, despite his initial anxiety about re-entering the public eye.
“The Beast”, as he was known during his 13-year league career, said he “knew what he needed to do”.
Manu Vatuvei had his boxing debut in 2018, fighting his now boss Dave Letele. Photo / Kai Schwoerer, Getty Images
He is now a volunteer counsellor for his former team and has found a renewed passion for boxing after working at former heavyweight champion Dave Letele’s gym.
And he said he is ready to re-enter the ring this April in Sydney.
Vatuvei encourages anyone struggling to be brave enough to open up.
“Life can be hard, but don’t take the easy way out, and never give up on your dreams”, he said, “I gave up on my dream, but now it’s popped up again with boxing, and I’ll take this opportunity.”