Bongani Magasela
Bongani Magasela
Boxing promoter Dingaan Thobela says his colleagues must abandon the trend of announcing fights when they have not clinched them.
Thobela, of Dingaan Thobela-Knockout Boxing Promotions (DTKBP), was reacting to last week's nasty incident which involved Rodney Berman and Branco Milenkovic.
On Thursday last week Berman announced that newly crowned IBF junior lightweight champion Cassius Baloyi would make a voluntary defence against Mexican Manuel "Mantecas" Medina at Emperors Palace on September 13.
Berman's rival Milenkovic delivered a sucker punch the following day, Friday, on Blow by Blow - an SABC boxing programme - when he announced that his fighter, Malcolm "The Stone" Klassen, would fight Medina for the number one spot in July.
Milenkovic added that Medina, 37, a former IBF, WBC and WBO featherweight and IBC junior lightweight champion, had signed to fight under Branco Sports Productions (BSP).
Medina's manager Roberto Diaz confirmed in a telephone interview from Las Vegas that Medina had indeed signed with Milenkovic.
Thobela said promoters must first seal their deals before making announcements.
"In the end we look at the media as liars. Obviously Branco must have promised Medina lots of dollars. But it is very interesting that Medina pulled out [if he had already committed to Berman] of a world title fight to go for the eliminator."
Thobela irked by promoters
Bongani Magasela
Bongani Magasela
Boxing promoter Dingaan Thobela says his colleagues must abandon the trend of announcing fights when they have not clinched them.
Thobela, of Dingaan Thobela-Knockout Boxing Promotions (DTKBP), was reacting to last week's nasty incident which involved Rodney Berman and Branco Milenkovic.
On Thursday last week Berman announced that newly crowned IBF junior lightweight champion Cassius Baloyi would make a voluntary defence against Mexican Manuel "Mantecas" Medina at Emperors Palace on September 13.
Berman's rival Milenkovic delivered a sucker punch the following day, Friday, on Blow by Blow - an SABC boxing programme - when he announced that his fighter, Malcolm "The Stone" Klassen, would fight Medina for the number one spot in July.
Milenkovic added that Medina, 37, a former IBF, WBC and WBO featherweight and IBC junior lightweight champion, had signed to fight under Branco Sports Productions (BSP).
Medina's manager Roberto Diaz confirmed in a telephone interview from Las Vegas that Medina had indeed signed with Milenkovic.
Thobela said promoters must first seal their deals before making announcements.
"In the end we look at the media as liars. Obviously Branco must have promised Medina lots of dollars. But it is very interesting that Medina pulled out [if he had already committed to Berman] of a world title fight to go for the eliminator."