BSA KOs Mwrebi, Ngubane title bout

The challenger, Rita, lost her last match

Mapule Ngubane and Charity Mukami during the middleweight at tha Ridge Casino, Emalahleni.
Mapule Ngubane and Charity Mukami during the middleweight at tha Ridge Casino, Emalahleni.
Image: Veli nhlapo

Boxing SA's sanctioning committee has turned down a proposed 10-rounder for the SA middleweight title between reigning champion Mapule Ngubane and Rita Mwrebi planned for February 28 on the basis that the challenger lost her last match.

Promoter Zandile Malinga had intended staging this national title fight at Greyville Convention Centre in Durban where her Starline Boxing Promotion will stage two national title fight and a KwaZulu-Natal championship.

Mrwebi – who owns the BSA welterweight championship belt after defending it successfully three times – lost to Ngubane in a non-title contest in December.

But the same committee approved Wendy Gcado to oppose Noxolo Mkhasibe for the vacant SA female super middleweight clash – a championship contest Gcado won on points – in December. Gcado was coming of a loss to Nobengazi Booth.

Sanctioning committee chairman Irvin Buhlalu said: “The committee decided to stick with the rule regarding challenging for the SA title ... you must be coming off a win or a draw to be able to challenge for the SA title. We have been lenient in implementing that rule in provincial title fights.”

Pressed to comment on the Gcado-Mkhasibe match-up, Buhlalu said: “We have to start somewhere. If we are to refer to what happened in the past, then we won't go anywhere. No one is being targeted here; the committee wants to implement rules and regulations.”

Females can't be treated the same way as their male counterparts. There is just not enough of them. There are only 31 females rated in different weight divisions of boxing's 17 categories.

Malinga told Sowetan: “I am disappointed with the progress of women in boxing, they're facing serious challenges. At times regulations are not conducive for women because there's just not enough female boxers; that's why they fight each other over and over again.”

Malinga said Ngubane and Mrwebi will still feature in her tournament but in an eight-round fight. “This does not help the champ who must enjoy the fruits of being a champion and also make the required number of defences to become the outright owner of the belt,” she said.

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