IT'S official: older men can still fight.
Veterans Anton Nel, Zolile Mbityi and Roland Francis will be relieved to hear that only a medical condition can end their boxing careers.
Boxing SA announced this week that boxers who are over 35 and have been out of action for 12 months or more, will not be relicensed. The impression was that the illustrious careers of Nel, 45, Mbityi, 43, and Francis, 41, who were all inactive last year, were over.
But Peter Ngatane, an executive member of the board of Boxing SA, dismissed that thought yesterday, saying that Boxing SA's constitution does not allow commissioners to deny boxers the right to try to renew their licences.
Ngatane, a medical practitioner by profession, said the three boxers - and others in the same situation - will be required to have brain scans and neurological tests.
"Nel, Francis and Mbityi may have been out of action for over 12 months, but they have been licensed all along," said Ngatane.
Nel, a former South African heavyweight champion, last fought on April 29 2011; Mbityi (former SA and IBO flyweight, SA and IBO junior bantamweight champ) last donned boxing gloves competitively on January 29 2011; and Francis (former WBF All Africa cruiserweight champion) last saw action on October 28 2011. Other active fighters in a similar situation are Mzonke Fana, Francois Botha and Simphiwe Nongqayi.
Fana was 38 when he got his licence to fight Vuyani Masondo on June 13 last year. His last fight was on September 1.
Botha had last seen action on April 10 2010 before getting permission to fight Flo Simba on June 4 last year.
At 39, Nongqayi was relicensed to fight Thabo Sonjica on December 16.
Cassius Baloyi, who has since retired, was 37 when he was licensed to fight Paulos Moses in Namibia on July 28.
Basil Ray, who has also called time, had last fought on March 30 2010 and was 44 when he was licensed to fight Hein van Bosch in July.
Licensing no knockout blow for older boxers
IT'S official: older men can still fight.
Veterans Anton Nel, Zolile Mbityi and Roland Francis will be relieved to hear that only a medical condition can end their boxing careers.
Boxing SA announced this week that boxers who are over 35 and have been out of action for 12 months or more, will not be relicensed. The impression was that the illustrious careers of Nel, 45, Mbityi, 43, and Francis, 41, who were all inactive last year, were over.
But Peter Ngatane, an executive member of the board of Boxing SA, dismissed that thought yesterday, saying that Boxing SA's constitution does not allow commissioners to deny boxers the right to try to renew their licences.
Ngatane, a medical practitioner by profession, said the three boxers - and others in the same situation - will be required to have brain scans and neurological tests.
"Nel, Francis and Mbityi may have been out of action for over 12 months, but they have been licensed all along," said Ngatane.
Nel, a former South African heavyweight champion, last fought on April 29 2011; Mbityi (former SA and IBO flyweight, SA and IBO junior bantamweight champ) last donned boxing gloves competitively on January 29 2011; and Francis (former WBF All Africa cruiserweight champion) last saw action on October 28 2011. Other active fighters in a similar situation are Mzonke Fana, Francois Botha and Simphiwe Nongqayi.
Fana was 38 when he got his licence to fight Vuyani Masondo on June 13 last year. His last fight was on September 1.
Botha had last seen action on April 10 2010 before getting permission to fight Flo Simba on June 4 last year.
At 39, Nongqayi was relicensed to fight Thabo Sonjica on December 16.
Cassius Baloyi, who has since retired, was 37 when he was licensed to fight Paulos Moses in Namibia on July 28.
Basil Ray, who has also called time, had last fought on March 30 2010 and was 44 when he was licensed to fight Hein van Bosch in July.
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