Gauteng Boxing Promotions Association (GBPA) chair Tshele Kometsi is wary of getting caught flat-footed  when boxing returns to normal after nearly a year of Covid-19 disruptions.

“At some point life will go back to normal, so we don’t want to be caught napping,” Kometsi said yesterday.

It is for this reason that the GBPA will have a two-day strategic session at Hartbeespoort this weekend. “We felt it is important to invite the chairperson of the board of BSA [Luthando Jack] and acting CEO [Cindy Nkomo] so that we align ourselves with BSA’s planned vigorous pursuit of renewing the sport.”

Jack told Sowetan a few days after being appointed by sport minister Nathi Mthethwa last month that they must work with the fraternity.

Kometsi explained: “We are taking time and effort to make sure that the sport we love regains its popularity.”

Kometsi said promoters must regard the sport as a business and not just something to pass the time. “We also want to have promoters working together and not some cheap talk of unity while we are busy attacking each other,” he said.

“We feel that the Boxing SA brand must be protected and not be tarnished. I am calling on members of our association to work with the regulator but where we differ with them, then we must engage them robustly.”

Kometsi said it was crucial for licensees to read and familiarise themselves with the SA Boxing Act of 2001 so that they don’t waste  time and effort on matters that BSA has no mandate over.