Bongani Magasela
Bongani Magasela
The ugly war of attrition between internationally acclaimed boxing promoter Rodney Berman and esteemed mentor Nick Durandt has claimed its latest casualty.
Isaac Hlatswayo is paying the price for last month's feud between Berman, head of the Golden Gloves stable, and Durandt - and does not have a promoter.
Berman and Durandt clashed over Silence Mabuza's defection from Golden Gloves to the Branco Sports Production consortium owned by Branco Milenkovic and Jacob Matlala.
Berman announced that he would no longer promote Durandt's fighters, except for Cassius Baloyi and Hlatswayo.
The affected fighters are Osborne Machimana (SA heavyweight champ), Daniel Bruwer (SA light heavyweight holder), Isaac Chilembe (ABU super middleweight champ), Zolani Marali (WBF junior lightweight champ), Takalani Ndlovu and Warren Joubert, some of whom are free agents.
Marali left Durandt and joined Colin Nathan, whose fighters Jared Lovett, Hekkie Budler, Ashley Dlamini, Octavius Mbira, Grant Fourie and Jackson Chauke all fight under Golden Gloves.
Baloyi, the only fighter here who holds a legitimate world title, the IBF junior lightweight strap, followed Mabuza early this week, leaving Hlatswayo with Golden Gloves.
But the "Angel" felt a chill when he was told that his name was not on a list of Golden Gloves fighters publicist Terry Pettifer announced on Wednesday. They included Charles Oosthuizen and Jake Els.
Pettifer said: "We have the fighters we want and the trainers of our choice."
"I am in a dilemma," said Hlatswayo.
Mabuza, 31, who turned professional in 1999, had fought under Golden Gloves since 2001. He holds the IBO bantamweight belt. The reason he gave for his abrupt departure was the continuous eleventh-hour postponement of fights without acceptable explanations.
"I cannot live on promises. I have a bond to pay and a family to support. I am also not getting any younger," said the charismatic family man from Tsakane, Ekurhuleni.
Berman accused Durandt of influencing Mabuza to join rival promoters.
But that was an insult to Mabuza, said Durandt.
"Silence knows what he wants. He told me straight up that either I followed him to Branco or he was out of my gym," said Durandt.
The angel left out in the cold
Bongani Magasela
Bongani Magasela
The ugly war of attrition between internationally acclaimed boxing promoter Rodney Berman and esteemed mentor Nick Durandt has claimed its latest casualty.
Isaac Hlatswayo is paying the price for last month's feud between Berman, head of the Golden Gloves stable, and Durandt - and does not have a promoter.
Berman and Durandt clashed over Silence Mabuza's defection from Golden Gloves to the Branco Sports Production consortium owned by Branco Milenkovic and Jacob Matlala.
Berman announced that he would no longer promote Durandt's fighters, except for Cassius Baloyi and Hlatswayo.
The affected fighters are Osborne Machimana (SA heavyweight champ), Daniel Bruwer (SA light heavyweight holder), Isaac Chilembe (ABU super middleweight champ), Zolani Marali (WBF junior lightweight champ), Takalani Ndlovu and Warren Joubert, some of whom are free agents.
Marali left Durandt and joined Colin Nathan, whose fighters Jared Lovett, Hekkie Budler, Ashley Dlamini, Octavius Mbira, Grant Fourie and Jackson Chauke all fight under Golden Gloves.
Baloyi, the only fighter here who holds a legitimate world title, the IBF junior lightweight strap, followed Mabuza early this week, leaving Hlatswayo with Golden Gloves.
But the "Angel" felt a chill when he was told that his name was not on a list of Golden Gloves fighters publicist Terry Pettifer announced on Wednesday. They included Charles Oosthuizen and Jake Els.
Pettifer said: "We have the fighters we want and the trainers of our choice."
"I am in a dilemma," said Hlatswayo.
Mabuza, 31, who turned professional in 1999, had fought under Golden Gloves since 2001. He holds the IBO bantamweight belt. The reason he gave for his abrupt departure was the continuous eleventh-hour postponement of fights without acceptable explanations.
"I cannot live on promises. I have a bond to pay and a family to support. I am also not getting any younger," said the charismatic family man from Tsakane, Ekurhuleni.
Berman accused Durandt of influencing Mabuza to join rival promoters.
But that was an insult to Mabuza, said Durandt.
"Silence knows what he wants. He told me straight up that either I followed him to Branco or he was out of my gym," said Durandt.
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