Rival promoter KOs Baleni's title shot

East London boxing promoter Andile Sidinile is going ahead with his initial plan to stage a development tournament at Mdantsane Indoor Sports Centre on Sunday.

This is despite a forced eleventh-hour change to his main bout, which has had to be reduced to a non-title fight instead of a 12-rounder for the vacant SA mini-flyweight title.

Sidinile had intended matching his charge, No 2 contender Siphamandla Baleni, with third-ranked Lonwabo Roboshi for the vacant title.

But due a technicality in the rules, the non-title fight will now be contested by Baleni and ninth-ranked Iviwe Mgema.

The reason Sidinile had pencilled in a second-ranked fighter to fight his third-ranked counterpart was that the No 1 contender, Siyabonga Siyo, who beat Baleni in his last fight, has a WBA International title fight against Lito Dante from the Philippines next month.

The SA title was vacated by Baleni's stablemate Simphiwe Khonco because of his world title fight against WBA and IBO champion Hekkie Budler at Emperors Palace in September.

Sidinile had wanted the title to be held by one of his boxers, but rival promoter Ayanda Matiti scuppered those plans.

Matiti successfully argued with Boxing SA that Baleni's loss to Siyo automatically ruled him out from going straight into a national title fight. In fact, regulations stipulate that any boxer coming off a loss against a local opponent cannot go straight into a national title fight.

Matiti wanted his charge - the fourth-rated Daluxolo Mangcotywa - to oppose Roboshi. But that did not go down well with Sidinile, who dumped the idea of staging a national title fight altogether.

Sidinile is confident Baleni will beat Mgemad, a result that will bring him back into the mix for the national title.