THE Gauteng Promoters Association (GPA) has given Minister of Sport, Makhenkesi Stofile, its fullest support for the boxing convention to take place his month.
The dates were March 26 and 27 but Boxing SA wrote to Stofile and requested a postponement because there will be fights locally and abroad on those days.
It is unclear if Boxing SA has succeeded because Stofile is in Tunisia and will be back late in the week. Mxolisi Gumede, the GPA chairperson who is no shrinking violet when it comes to speaking his mind, said the decision taken after a meeting by the executive committee of GPA was that the convention must go ahead as planned.
"Our view was communicated to the minister. We note the comments of our colleagues in Sunday World. But we do not agree that individual interests should hold the boxing fraternity countrywide to ransom," said Gumede.
The convention was supposed to have been held in February but Stofile rescheduled it.
"The people who will attend will share the information with absentees to the convention, simple as that," said Gumede, a retired former SA lightweight champion who now promotes boxing under the banner of Ethembeni Promotions.
The GPA has invited former and current fighters, officials and fight followers for a preparatory meeting in Gauteng on March 21. Gumede said the venue would be confirmed sometime this week.
This writer believes that the boredom threshold, which has virtually killed the love of the noble art of boxing, could be reached. The convention is the proper platform to sort out issues that affect the sport and hinder its success.
Boxing nowadays is a form of modern slavery, while the rules and regulations have become secondary to self-enrichment.
Some promoters pay decent purse money while others are misers. The growing malaise of refusing to acknowledge attempts by those in the office to do well drags the sport backwards.
The issue around dissolving the BSA board and the appointment of a CEO are sure to be discussed. Loyiso Mtya is currently acting as the chief executive while Peter Ngatane chairs the four-member board that also includes Archie Jonas, Sakhiwo Sodo and Claude Bassuday.
convention must go on
THE Gauteng Promoters Association (GPA) has given Minister of Sport, Makhenkesi Stofile, its fullest support for the boxing convention to take place his month.
The dates were March 26 and 27 but Boxing SA wrote to Stofile and requested a postponement because there will be fights locally and abroad on those days.
It is unclear if Boxing SA has succeeded because Stofile is in Tunisia and will be back late in the week. Mxolisi Gumede, the GPA chairperson who is no shrinking violet when it comes to speaking his mind, said the decision taken after a meeting by the executive committee of GPA was that the convention must go ahead as planned.
"Our view was communicated to the minister. We note the comments of our colleagues in Sunday World. But we do not agree that individual interests should hold the boxing fraternity countrywide to ransom," said Gumede.
The convention was supposed to have been held in February but Stofile rescheduled it.
"The people who will attend will share the information with absentees to the convention, simple as that," said Gumede, a retired former SA lightweight champion who now promotes boxing under the banner of Ethembeni Promotions.
The GPA has invited former and current fighters, officials and fight followers for a preparatory meeting in Gauteng on March 21. Gumede said the venue would be confirmed sometime this week.
This writer believes that the boredom threshold, which has virtually killed the love of the noble art of boxing, could be reached. The convention is the proper platform to sort out issues that affect the sport and hinder its success.
Boxing nowadays is a form of modern slavery, while the rules and regulations have become secondary to self-enrichment.
Some promoters pay decent purse money while others are misers. The growing malaise of refusing to acknowledge attempts by those in the office to do well drags the sport backwards.
The issue around dissolving the BSA board and the appointment of a CEO are sure to be discussed. Loyiso Mtya is currently acting as the chief executive while Peter Ngatane chairs the four-member board that also includes Archie Jonas, Sakhiwo Sodo and Claude Bassuday.