Allow the market to play itself out guided by regulations.
That was the response, perhaps a reminder from Boxing SA (BSA) acting CEO Tsholofelo Lejaka to his colleagues in the sanctioning committee who seem to be determined to ignore the regulations and instead do as they please, knowing that they will not be held to account.
BSA’s four-member sanctioning committee - chairman Irvin Buhlalu, veteran ring official Siya Vabaza Booi, BSA provincial manager in Limpopo Tinyiko Katingi and estate agent Droeks Malan – has dished questionable decisions that were divisive but got away with it because BSA board seemed a toothless dog.
The committee turned down Anele Kunene to face Mxolisi Zuma for the KwaZulu Natal title, saying Kunene must redeem himself with a non-title fight first before challenging for a title because he had lost his last fight in August
That decision conformed with the rules. But that same committee sanctioned Aphiwe Mboyiya, who lost his two fights consecutively on one point and the other by knockout, to fight for an Eastern Cape title, which he won on August 25.
That committee gave a clearance letter to retired boxer Lusanda Komanisi, who is not licensed with BSA, to fight in Tanzania in October.
Now that committee stands accused of calling for an elimination bout to determine the two boxers who must fight for the vacant SA welterweight title, which became vacant when Thulani Mbenge won the IBO belt last month.
Ntlanganiso – who has just returned to the position of director of operations (thanks to acting CEO Tsholofelo Lejkaka who went against a High Court order that made it clear that Ntlanganiso remains suspended) by uplifting that suspension) – is mentioned in that controversial process.
Regulations are clear: “The official challenger for a national or provincial title shall be the number one rated boxer on Boxing SA’s rating list. If the official challenger is not willing to challenge for the title for whatever reason, the opportunity of being the official challenger shall pass to the next highest-rated boxer on Boxing SA’s rating list.”
Wasim Chellan and Jabulani Makhense are rated No 1 and No 2 by B SA’s ratings committee. By right they should be opposing each other for that belt but they don’t qualify because they lost their last fights.
No 3 and No 4 contenders, Keanu Koopman and Onke Duku, won their last fights. They are said to have already signed contracts to feature in the Golden Gloves “Rivalry Reloaded” international tournament to take place on December 6 at Emperors Palace.
Duku’s trainer Lucky Ramagole tells Sowetan that Ntlanganiso told him last week that the sanctioning committee is unhappy about the match-up.
“He called me for a meeting to discuss the way forward which he said an elimination to decide two boxers that will fight for the vacant welterweight title, and I told him straight that I am will not be a party to that meeting,” said Ramagole. “What informs his decision.”
Called for an explanation, Ntlanganiso said: “I am acting on the advice of the sanctioning committee. They suggested that there be an elimination. Buhlalu failed to revert to yours truly as he had promised.”
Sowetan then called Lekjaka. “Can we please allow the market to play itself out guided by regulations; we don’t want to interfere with the promotional market because that will create problems for us. Promoters must do their jobs and bouts they propose are subject to the sanctioning committee; we can’t be matchmakers as BSA. We are happy to see the vacant SA welterweight belt being contested for.”
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