Last Thursday we welcomed the return of BRD Promotions.

Last Thursday we welcomed the return of BRD Promotions.

This company is best known for playing a role in the development of a number of today's big name fighters, such as IBO welterweight champion Isaac "The Angel" Hlatswayo and WBF junior featherweight holder Oscar "Golden Boy" Chauke, to mention but a few. It's unclear what happened in its boardroom, but BRD disappeared into thin air.

But it is back now and let us celebrate that. It staged its first development tournament - something they did so well years back - at Wembley Arena last week.

It went well but something annoyed me about it and that is that it was paired with martial arts. I hated the idea because it implied that boxing is desperate (for what exactly, I don't know). But it also said boxing was crying for help. Only promoter Manny Fernandez knows why he did that.

Look, ideas are always welcome, I suppose, as long as they are for the betterment of the sport. But people must not use boxing to do their other "things". I wish I could say more about this because it irked me. Some of us love boxing with a passion - boxing, not boxing-martial arts or kick-boxing. I am very jealous of this sport.

I am waiting to see soccer being paired with rugby. I am down on my knees begging Boxing SA not to buy into this silly idea. Look Manny, go ahead and stage your martial arts or kick-boxing tournaments - I have no problem with that - but do it far away from a boxing tournament. Please stop confusing us.

My observation at Wembley was that people were there for martial arts. I did not even wait for martial arts activities to begin.

Guys, remember boxing is a sport on its own. It has been like that in the past, it is like that now and it will remain like that even in the future. I take my leave.