Professional boxing in Limpopo is dead, laments promoter Phathutshedzo Dongola, who is the secretary of the Limpopo Boxing Promoters Association (LBPA).
He says even the province's past old-time greats like Cassius Baloyi, Isaac Hlatswayo, Phillip Ndou and Jeffrey Mathebula had to relocate to Gauteng to fulfill their ambitions.
Ndou was in the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta where he first met Floyd Mayweather Jr, who would later stop him in the seventh round of their WBC lightweight title fight in the US in 2003.
Mathebula represented SA at the Sydney 2000 Olympics.
Baloyi achieved the feat of being the only fighter in SA to win six world titles in three weight divisions and credit duly went to trainer Nick Durandt. Hlatshwayo also won three world belts but in two weight classes.
Tomorrow, 11 years ago, Mathebula won the IBF junior featherweight title on March 24 2012. Again, it was Durandt barking instructions to Mathebula.
Dongola said: "Fighters leave the province because promoters do not get financial support from the government to help stage tournaments.
"We have 140 BSA-licensed boxers and that includes those that have just graduated from the amateurs to the professional ranks. Sadly, the future they envisage of becoming world champions will not be realised.
"The four tournaments we had last year were not funded by the government."
His association, he said, met with BSA COO Mandla Ntlanganiso in Polokwane last week and spoke about many issues including the possible proper launch of the Limpopo provincial boxing belt.
"The one we have does not have the logo of the provincial sports department," he said. "We hope the government will support this initiative and then launch the provincial belt officially. That may breathe life into boxing in our province."
Boxing SA will host the SABC in a sponsorship forum at Meropa Casino in Polokwane. The two government entities signed a three-year deal last year.
It is understood that the programme of issuing tenders for SABC television broadcast dates to promoters will be rolled out next month.
Boxing stagnant in Limpopo due to lack of support, laments Dongola
Possible launch of provincial belt in the pipeline
Image: Supplied
Professional boxing in Limpopo is dead, laments promoter Phathutshedzo Dongola, who is the secretary of the Limpopo Boxing Promoters Association (LBPA).
He says even the province's past old-time greats like Cassius Baloyi, Isaac Hlatswayo, Phillip Ndou and Jeffrey Mathebula had to relocate to Gauteng to fulfill their ambitions.
Ndou was in the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta where he first met Floyd Mayweather Jr, who would later stop him in the seventh round of their WBC lightweight title fight in the US in 2003.
Mathebula represented SA at the Sydney 2000 Olympics.
Baloyi achieved the feat of being the only fighter in SA to win six world titles in three weight divisions and credit duly went to trainer Nick Durandt. Hlatshwayo also won three world belts but in two weight classes.
Tomorrow, 11 years ago, Mathebula won the IBF junior featherweight title on March 24 2012. Again, it was Durandt barking instructions to Mathebula.
Dongola said: "Fighters leave the province because promoters do not get financial support from the government to help stage tournaments.
"We have 140 BSA-licensed boxers and that includes those that have just graduated from the amateurs to the professional ranks. Sadly, the future they envisage of becoming world champions will not be realised.
"The four tournaments we had last year were not funded by the government."
His association, he said, met with BSA COO Mandla Ntlanganiso in Polokwane last week and spoke about many issues including the possible proper launch of the Limpopo provincial boxing belt.
"The one we have does not have the logo of the provincial sports department," he said. "We hope the government will support this initiative and then launch the provincial belt officially. That may breathe life into boxing in our province."
Boxing SA will host the SABC in a sponsorship forum at Meropa Casino in Polokwane. The two government entities signed a three-year deal last year.
It is understood that the programme of issuing tenders for SABC television broadcast dates to promoters will be rolled out next month.
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