SABC blackout floors boxers

THE SABC's blackout of local boxing means South African fighters are becoming vulnerable road warriors, often the victims of hostile crowds or controversial decisions.

Promoters need the lifeblood of television money to put on tournaments where South African champions can defend their international titles against world-ranked opponents in front of their fans.

Branco Milenkovic, who works closely with both the IBF and WBC, has been left with one option: to send his boxers abroad.

First it was Vusi Malinga, who lost on points for the vacant IBF bantamweight title in America. Then it was Zolani Tete, who also suffered two split-points losses in Mexico and Argentina.

Losing on a split-points decision away says a lot. In a close fight, judges are often swayed towards the home-town fighter. The latest victim is Takalani "The Panther" Ndlovu, who suffered a controversial points loss to Mexican Alejandro Lopez in El Paso, Texas, on Sunday morning.

Said Milenkovic: "The interesting fact is that IBF was forbidden by the Texas Boxing Commission to take any decisions on the appointment of the officials - something unheard of. After all, it was an IBF-sanctioned fight and the IBF should have some say in the appointment of officials. I still don't know who the officials were."

American-based website, Fightnews.com, said straight out that Ndlovu, the former IBF junior featherweight champion, was robbed in El Paso. The judges seemed to have filled out their cards before the fight ended.

When the decision was announced, even the crowd booed, unusual for a border town that usually attracts a pro-Mexican audience.