Wainstein hopes to involve boxing fans with a ‘Fight of the Night’ belt

Innovation, the practical implementation of ideas that result in the introduction of new goods or services, is required in SA to spice up the sport of boxing.

Promoter Larry Wainstein, former chairman of the Racing Association who is said to have initiated the International Jockeys’ Challenge, has come up with an idea he hopes will get fans involved in boxing.

Wainstein always gives boxers bonuses for best performances and he says he will continue doing so but he has introduced what he calls the “Fight of the Night” belt.

He explained a boxer who wins the bout that will be voted as fight of the year in his seventh tournament at Booysens Boxing Gym on Saturday will win that specially designed belt.

“It will be accompanied by a cash bonus,” said Wainstein.

“Lets be clear about this; It is not a title but instead a belt. I don’t want confusion with people accusing us of creating a title; we are incentivising boxers to put on a show.

“You win it on the night and it is yours; no defence required. This is simple, every time boxers get inside the ring they get paid their purse monies. We are now saying put up the best fight and win the belt for the best fight of the night and you know that boxers treasure belts.”

He said some boxers drew big crowds to tournaments when they fought. But all those fans left arenas once their favourites had fought.

“With this innovation we hope they will stay until the last bout because it is only after the last match that we will announce the best fight of the tournament,” he said.

Wainstein said they would assemble a panel that voted for the best bout

Wainstein promotes under Boxing 5 and his partners are trainers Colin Nathan, Ryaz Bhayat and Ludumo Lamati.

“We are looking at doing provincial and national title fights as well to continue doing work with the IBF now that we have a new board of Boxing SA,” said Nathan, who as never shy about his dislike of the sitting board whose terms expires on December 11.

The one bout, which could win the belt on Saturday is the heavyweight clash between Shaun Potgieter and Joshua Pretorius over eight rounds.

The winner should earn the rights to challenge for the SA belt, which is held by Keaton Gomes.

Sikho “Sequence” Nqothole, Ishmael Kadri, Athenkosi Plaatjies and Josh Feldman are some of the promotion’s fighters that will feature in the tournament dubbed “Ringside Rumble”.