By Monwabisi Jimlongo
She might not have had a successful career inside the ring, but KwaZulu-Natal boxing promoter Nomvelo Magcaba is determined to succeed in promoting the fistic sport.
A former boxer, who valued education more than the fistic sport, Magcaba quit boxing to continue with her studies towards a social work degree. And she believes that that was a very good decision as it was difficult for her to juggle her time between boxing and the demands of being a university student.
‘‘I stopped fighting in 2015 and concentrated on my studies. It was becoming difficult for me to be a student and a boxer at the same time,” Magcaba, who had three wins and four losses as a boxer, said.
After quitting boxing, Magcaba vowed to return to the sport as a promoter in her effort to help develop boxers, especially those from rural areas.
Indeed, the 28-year-old Magcaba, who heads Mvelo Boxing Promotions, did exactly that as she acquired a promoter’s licence and continues to stage boxing tournaments in KwaZulu-Natal. She is now going to stage a tournament at the Pietermaritzburg City Hall on Saturday, 13 March.
The tournament is headlined by a World Boxing Federation (WBF) All-Africa super-middleweight title fight between Andile Mntungwa and Lee Dyer while Siphesihle Mntungwa will face Malawian boxer Romeo Makwakwa in a WBF All-Africa junior-lightweight title contest.
“My aim has always been to become a boxing promoter so that I can help boxers, who come from outside the big cities. Boxers from outlying areas get licensed and then don’t get fights until their licences expire. I have already done a number of development tournaments and I’m now into international fights,” she said.
‘‘My tournament is a double header. Andile and Siphesihle Mntungwa from KwaXimba are going to fight in that tournament. I have also included boxers, who are making their debuts because it has always been my wish to develop up and coming boxers.
‘‘I’m grateful to the Department of Sport and Recreation here in KwaZulu-Natal for sponsoring this tournament. We have already paid purses for the boxers and we hope all of them are going to test negative for COVID-19.’’
