BOXING SA has always left its doors open to any boxing sanctioning body, as long as its activities advance the interests of South African boxing, acting chief Loyiso Mtya said yesterday.
He was responding to questions that arose after it was announced that Esther "The Dazzler" Mashiya will challenge for both the Women's International Boxing Association and the Universal Boxing Organisation titles in Sweden.
There was some doubt as to whether she would be recognised as a champion should she win the little-known UBO and Wiba titles.
The now-defunct SA National Boxing Control Commission refused to recognise Jacob "Baby Jake" Matlala's International Boxing Association junior-flyweight belt, which he won from Michael Carbajal in the US in 1997.
Said Mtya yesterday: "Boxing SA has a mandate, according to the SA Boxing Act, to have working relationships with all sanctioning bodies whose activities advance the interest of South African boxing.
"There are no less than 16 sanctioning bodies in the world. Naturally we cannot work with all of them. That is why Boxing SA, in 2005, decided to work with the WBA, WBC, WBO, WBF, IBF, IBO and also with international sanctioning bodies the Commonwealth and the African Boxing Union."
He added: "But the door was left open for discretion because it is a known fact that some of these above-mentioned bodies disappoint along the way and others come along. That is the reason why we now recognise the North American Boxing Foundation.
"Although it is an American sanctioning body, it also gives fighters outside America chances to fight for its titles. That is why we did not turn them down when they gave Thabiso Mchunu the chance to fight for its cruiserweight belt, which he won."
BSA leaves door open for Mashiya
BOXING SA has always left its doors open to any boxing sanctioning body, as long as its activities advance the interests of South African boxing, acting chief Loyiso Mtya said yesterday.
He was responding to questions that arose after it was announced that Esther "The Dazzler" Mashiya will challenge for both the Women's International Boxing Association and the Universal Boxing Organisation titles in Sweden.
There was some doubt as to whether she would be recognised as a champion should she win the little-known UBO and Wiba titles.
The now-defunct SA National Boxing Control Commission refused to recognise Jacob "Baby Jake" Matlala's International Boxing Association junior-flyweight belt, which he won from Michael Carbajal in the US in 1997.
Said Mtya yesterday: "Boxing SA has a mandate, according to the SA Boxing Act, to have working relationships with all sanctioning bodies whose activities advance the interest of South African boxing.
"There are no less than 16 sanctioning bodies in the world. Naturally we cannot work with all of them. That is why Boxing SA, in 2005, decided to work with the WBA, WBC, WBO, WBF, IBF, IBO and also with international sanctioning bodies the Commonwealth and the African Boxing Union."
He added: "But the door was left open for discretion because it is a known fact that some of these above-mentioned bodies disappoint along the way and others come along. That is the reason why we now recognise the North American Boxing Foundation.
"Although it is an American sanctioning body, it also gives fighters outside America chances to fight for its titles. That is why we did not turn them down when they gave Thabiso Mchunu the chance to fight for its cruiserweight belt, which he won."