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Add incentives to restore SA title value – Thobela

Ex-champ suggests boxers win local belts before competing internationally

Former super middlewight (WBC) champion Dingaan Thobela.
Former super middlewight (WBC) champion Dingaan Thobela.
Image: Lucky Morajane

Celebrated former two-weight world boxing champion Dingaan Thobela says national champions must be incentived by Boxing SA, especially in a vacant title fight because the idea is to ensure that particular weight division stays active.

But only if the regulator, which gets more than R10m from the government annually, is serious about restoring the value of the SA title.

Thobela says fans will be guaranteed non-stop action and television will have quality fights to broadcast.

He said that will be the case with Phila Mpontshane's fifth defence of the national junior-lightweight title against Sibusiso Zingange in Fourways next Thursday night. ESPN Africa will give viewers value for their money.

Thobela said that gesture must also be extended to a champion who has successfully defended his or her title five times, the number required to become rightful owner of the national title.

“Failure to do that will encourage fighters to give preference to all these meaningless titles, but if BSA adds few thousands on top of what fighters signed for with promoters, it will actually restore the value to the SA title,” he said.

Thobela added: "BSA must also reconsider making it a condition that a local boxer must first win the SA title before they can either get rated by international bodies.

"Consistency in winning fights obviously will improve their ranking and ultimately get [them] sanctioned for world titles. You know for sure that they will not go in there as opponents but will be equally capable of winning those titles because they would have stood the real test here at home.”

Meanwhile, Smangele “Smash” Hadebe grabbed the national flyweight title and will now challenge for the ABU SADC title in the main supporting fight next Thursday night. She will take on Halima Vunjanbei from Tanzania over 10 rounds. These fights and five more will be staged by Walt Disney Africa.

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