Xaba Promotions boss Ayanda Matiti has questioned the competence of the ratings committee of Boxing South Africa (BSA).
This follows after the release of the July ratings where Matiti’s boxer Phumelela Cafu, the World Boxing Association (WBA) Intercontinental junior-bantamweight champion, is rated fourth behind Gcina Makhoba (World Boxing Federation Africa titlist), Sikho Nqothole and Siyabonga Mpangela.
The 24-year-old Cafu won the WBA Intercontinental title after he stopped Filipino boxer Ben Mananquil in the fifth round at the East London International Convention Centre (ICC) last month.
“Rating him below someone who has a WBF Africa title even if it was a WBF world title it will still not make the test against the WBA Intercontinental title. This is shocking,” Matiti said.
“He is the first boxer to knockout a Filipino. I’m not sure what else he has to do to prove that he is levels above the rest in South Africa. If this committee is not changed, boxing will definitely die. Compare the last three opponents of Gcina Makhoba and Cafu’s and you will see that there is something wrong.”
Responding to Matiti, ratings committee chairperson Andre de Vries said: “He hasn’t said anything to me now. He only said something when Cafu was rated at number seven. We’ve moved him up to number four though he hasn’t beaten any rated fighter. Number one to three have won their last fights. We can’t penalise them by shoving up somebody who hasn’t beaten any rated boxer.”
