Xaba Boxing Academy managing director Linda Saliwa has admitted that Nhlanhla ‘Mount Kilimanjaro’ Tyirha, Asanda ‘Dynamite’ Gingqi and Zolisa Batyi have no contracts with his promotional outfit.
Saliwa revealed that they only had a gentlemen’s agreement whereby his company would give the boxers fights.
His revelation came after Tyirha, Gingqi and Batyi left Xaba Boxing Academy following their trainer Khangelani Jack’s departure last week. The 33-year-old Jack left after Thembelani Hlombe resigned as manager at Xaba Boxing Academy.
“We had no contracts with them. We had a mutual understanding that we will give them fights. There was no need to tie them up with contracts because we were loyal to them and we thought they were also loyal to us,” Saliwa said.
Former SA junior-flyweight champion Tyirha, who is rated 15th by the International Boxing Federation (IBF), sixth by both the World Boxing Council (WBC) and the World Boxing Organisation (WBO), said: “I don’t have a promotional contract with anyone. I have been fighting without being contracted to them.”
Reigning South African featherweight champion Gingqi fought under Xaba Boxing Academy twice this year. He defeated Sithembiso Maduna in March and Batyi last month.
“I’m not contracted to a promotions company. I was just signing fight contracts before my fights,” Mdantsane-born Gingqi said.
Batyi, who failed to dethrone Gingqi last month, said: “Currently, I’m not contracted to anyone.”
