By Monwabisi Jimlongo
Expect some surprises and the gnashing of teeth when the development grant from the Eastern Cape Department of Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture (DSRAC) is finally paid out to boxing promoters.
DSRAC has committed R1 million for the development of boxing in the province. And Eastern Cape boxing promoters are salivating at the prospects of benefiting from the windfall.
“This is is still a process. There are things that we will have to do once we have received the grant,” TZ Promotions’ Tando Zonke, the chairperson of the Eastern Cape Boxing Promoters Association (ECBPA), said.
Zonke added that boxers with less than five fights are going to be the biggest beneficiaries as they are going to be billed in tournaments funded by the development grant.
One of the conditions that has been agreed upon is that each tournament will have an Eastern Cape title as well as two female bouts.
“Boxers who turned professional this year are going to benefit. We must also remember that only Eastern Cape boxers are eligible to benefit from the grant,” Zonke remarked.
“This is a relationship between Boxing South Africa, the association and DSRAC. When this whole process is finalised we will then know which promoters are going to benefit to host tournaments. This is a development grant and not all promoters are going to benefit.”
The Zonke-led ECBPA is made up of 26 registered boxing promoters in the province.
