Meagre funding hits boxing promoters below the belt

The R1m tender from government to five boxing promoters in the Eastern Cape is nothing considering that each promoter got R160,000 to stage a tournament.

The requirement is that each promoter must stage their development tournaments in a province they chose when applying for funding.

Purse monies alone can amount to R100,000 if all boxers in those tournaments were to be paid decent monies. But chances are promoters may have to reduce the number of bouts so that they are able to pay good purses. That will result in those tournaments not being sanctioned because they will not meet the minimum required number of rounds, which is 36 for a tournament to be sanctioned.

The ongoing clamour is that promoters are exploiting boxers by paying a pittance. But promoters say they are doing their best considering that they do not get support from the corporate world.

Action continues and Happy Tewo is taking his Tewo Boxing Promotion to OR Tambo in Mthatha on March 26. The East London-based promoter, whose last tournament was at East London’s ICC Hall on October 23 where Nhlanhla “Mount Kilimanjaro” Tyirha won the IBF Intercontinental junior flyweight title via a lop-sided points win after 12 rounds against Orlie Silvestre from the Philippines, said: “If we don’t look after development then the future of the sport is bleak."

Siya Zingelwa, operations manager of Tewo’s establishment, explained their choice of going to OR Tambo. “It has produced good boxers – Simpiwe Konkco, Thulani Mbenge, Sikho Nqothole, Athenkosi Dumezweni and Lusizo Manzana – so we hope to unearth similar stars for the future.

“Yes that cannot be achieved in one tournament but it is one boxing match that turns things around for a fighter,” he said. “We also gave action to boxers from East London because this is all about providing that one moment to little-known or unknown fighters. The whole tournament will be fireworks – no bout is one sides.”

Zingelwa added: “We hope the fight fraternity in Mthatha will come in big numbers to support these future stars who need every support they can get to build their support base; we want to thank local promoter Akhona Joni of Black Magic for his assistance with logistics.

“We plead with children to wear their school uniforms; they will gain free entrance and will be given preferential seating. Adults will pay R50 and action will begin at 2pm.”

Topping the bill will be, as per government requirement – a 10-rounder for the Eastern Cape junior lightweight belt between  Aphiwe Mboyiya and Siseko Makeleni.