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'Funeka wrapped in cotton wool'

FIGHTING FIT: Ali Funeka at yesterday's pre-medical examination. Pic: Mesuli Zifo. 26/04/05. © DD.
FIGHTING FIT: Ali Funeka at yesterday's pre-medical examination. Pic: Mesuli Zifo. 26/04/05. © DD.

Bongani Magasela

Bongani Magasela

Ali Funeka is wrapped in cotton wool yet his management claims that the WBC International lightweight champion has no opposition in Africa.

The vitriol was made by Namibian trainer Nestor Tobias who directed it to Branco Milenkovic.

"He wants us to believe that Funeka is a demigod but he shuns challenges. Branco approached Dingaan Thobela, who is our representative in South Africa, last month and wanted my fighter Paulos Moses to fight Funeka on April 1.

"At that time Moses had already signed to defend his WBA Inter-Continental title against Sadjaia Beka from Georgia. The match-up with Funeka was big. It carried the number one spot in the WBA - so Moses agreed not to fight Beka but Funeka.

"But Branco would not better the meagre purse money he offered us. The opportunity of fighting Funeka was big but we ended up defending against Beka", said Tobias, whose charge registered an eighth round stoppage.

On the other hand Funeka was successful against Ghanaian Yajubu Amidu yet the scorecard, especially that of Alf Buqwana, was controversial. Andrew Smale scored it a draw at 114 while Siya Vabaza scored it 115-113 for Funeka while Buqwana was way out at 116-114.

Tobias now wants to promote the Funeka-Moses fight himself in Namibia and has offered Funeka three times what Branco was paying him.

"But Branco told Dingaan that he has other plans for Funeka", said Tobias, who trades under Sunshine Promotions.

But Milenkovic said Tobias' claims were untrue. "The problem was their commitment to Beka."

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