The chairperson of the sanctioning committee of Boxing South Africa (BSA) Sakhiwe Sodo has explained why they didn’t adhere to Article 13 (5) of the rules and regulations when they sanctioned a tournament which didn’t meet the criteria on the number of rounds a show should have.
Sodo said they sanctioned a Zbashy Promotions tournament held at the Orient Theatre in East London on Sunday, 19 March, even though they had decided against sanctioning some of the original bouts.
According to article 13 (5) of the rules and regulations, a tournament must have no less than 36 rounds. And the March tournament had 22 rounds as only three professional bouts were fought.
“A promoter shall not schedule less than 36 or more than 44 rounds of boxing or not less than six bouts, as the case may be, at a tournament save with the approval of Boxing SA,” article 13(5) of the boxing regulations reads.
Sodo said: “It was the sanctioning committee that sanctioned the tournament. We only refused to sanction Mlonyeni’s fight as well as Ayanda Nkosi’s fight because those two fights were mismatches. That was the point of view of the sanctioning committee. We have no intention to frustrate a promoter when we make decisions. In fact, we even suggested to Zbashy that amateur bouts should be added.”
Fikile Mlonyeni, who has a professional record of 14 wins with 11 knockouts and six losses had been billed to fight against Zumbonge Nocele, a three-fight novice.
On the other hand, former South African and World Boxing Federation (WBF) lightweight champion Nkosi was due to have fought against Kiakuy Ngoy from the Democratic Republic of Congo. Nkosi has 15 victories (nine stoppages) and a loss while Ngoy has four wins and a single defeat.
The tournament saw Babalwa Nonqonqoto defeating Noxolo Makhanavu to win the Eastern Cape female bantamweight title in a 10 rounds bout while Lubabalo Kweyi stopped Bongani Thole in the first round of their six rounds junior-lightweight clash and Likho Sigaba knocked out Siphenathi Nobanda in the third round of the scheduled six-rounder in the bantamweight division.
I believe sanctioning commity did what it had to do for the best of boxing SA the rules are known they are practising what is right for boxing promoters must learn to comply
I thank you