IBO junior bantamweight boxing champion Gideon "Hardcore" Buthelezi is a happy man. This after East London top boxing promoter Ayanda Matiti paid him the balance of his purse money for the fight Buthelezi fought in the main bout under the auspices of Matiti's Xaba Promotions and Events at East London's ICC Hall on July 27.

"I received my money from Ayanda and I am very happy," said the 32-year-old boxer from Boipatong in the Vaal. "I was with him in East London on Friday. We had a meeting and he assured me that I will get my money on Saturday and indeed I got it."

A father of two, Buthelezi added: "My family will be okay. I was concerned about my two children and my mother, who is sick."

He said the initial contract he signed to defend against 26-year-old Argentinian Lucas Emmanuel Fernandez Leone was for R450 000.

There were issues about Matiti's tournament, which was cancelled due to purse monies. However, it was later reinstated. Buthelezi signed a second contract which was for R20 000 and was duly paid by Boxing SA after the fight.

The boxer and his trainer Elias Tshabalala demanded that Matiti pay the balance.

The promoter maintained that once his sponsors paid him, he would settle his debt with Buthelezi.

Matiti had a briefing in East London last week which Buthelezi and Tshabalala attended. "I had to close the chapter for our brand, which took a knock," said Matiti yesterday.

"Whatever we agreed on outside of the SA Boxing Act of 2001 was sorted out on Friday. That was an obligation I had with them. We have a relationship which was built over a long time. The July 27 was a political storm which had nothing to do with boxing."