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Featherweight title fight goes to purse bids

The saga involving the South African featherweight title rematch between Duncan Village fighter Thando Vukuza and Leli Mbilase has taken another twist after Boxing South Africa again invited purse bids to stage it.

The saga involving the South African featherweight title rematch between Duncan Village fighter Thando Vukuza and Leli Mbilase has taken another twist after Boxing South Africa again invited purse bids to stage it.

The governing body has scheduled the purse bids at its Nasrec offices in Johannesburg tomorrow.

It will be the second time BSA will call for bids following a similar move in November last year.

Mbilase was controversially awarded the fight over Vukuza when they battled for the vacant SA crown in Carletonville in October last year.

The title had been vacated by recently deceased Ludumo Galada after winning the WBF featherweight crown. So disgraceful was the decision that even Mbilase's trainer Nick Durandt said the wrong fighter had been awarded the fight.

BSA appointed five independent judges to review the fight on tape after which they all scored it in favour of Vukuza, prompting the boxing governing body to order a rematch.

Purse bids were then called to contest the rematch with conditions such as a 50-50 purse split between the fighters set. But Mbilase's promoter Mzi Mnguni objected, insisting that as the promoter he should be given the right to stage the rematch.

BSA obliged but gave Mnguni a deadline to conclude negotiations with the two fighters and submit signed contracts within 14 days.

But Mnguni could not agree terms with both fighters as Mbilase demanded a R70000 purse while Vukuza rejected the R12 000 challenger's purse Mnguni offered him. - Sapa

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