Too many contenders watering down SA’s boxing future

If the July ratings are anything to go by, then South African boxing is on a scary downward spiral and chances of this country producing world champions are zero.

Weight divisions from the welterweights up have no fewer than four contenders for the national title. That spells doom for the future because ratings determine the future of fighters.

Two years ago, SA only had two IBO champions. That sanctioning body is not rated alongside the four super powers – the WBA, WBC, IBF and WBO – but SA was happy to have at least that IBO champ.

Right now there is only one world champion, IBF junior-flyweight holder Sivenathi “The Special One” Nontshinga.

And when looking at the South African ratings for a brighter future, the picture is gloomy. The heavyweight and the cruiserweight divisions each have three contenders.

Gerrie Coetzee, Francois Botha and Corrie Sanders held world heavyweight belts during their time when there was more than enough potential champions at the time. Piet Crouws did the same in the cruiserweight class.

The light heavyweight division is vacant and there is one contender. The middleweight division is ruled by seven-fight novice Asemahle Wellem. There are four contenders.

That weight class has a rich history for South African boxing. Thulani Malinga won the WBC belt in 1996 and he was the first in SA to achieve that feat. Four years later, Dingaan Thobela won the same belt in the first WBC world title fight in SA ending the reign of Englishman Glen Catley.

John Bopape has earned his stripes as the middleweight champion. Two of the three contenders for his title have already tasted his fists of fury.

Shervontaigh Koopman rules the junior middleweight class and looking at five of the six contenders it does not seem like they are interested in challenging him, except for Brandon Thysse who will face Koopman next month.

It is unclear if Thulani Mbenge is still in the game but he is still listed as the champion with five contenders not showing any intentions of removing him from the throne.

Divisions lower than the above mentioned ones are not that bad in terms of the number of contenders but still it is very difficult to pick and choose potential champions.

One can only hope the likes of Thato Bonokoane, Phumelela Cafu, Roarke Knapp and Sikho Nqothole will go on and represent SA on the global stage.

South Africans are now pinning their hope on 35-year-old Hekkie “Hexecutioner” Budler – a former multiple weight world champion – to increase the number of local world champions when he challenges Kenshiro Teraji in Tokyo on September 18.

The Japanese fighter holds the WBC and WBA world junior-flyweight belts.