By Monwabisi Jimlongo
Acting Boxing South Africa (BSA) chief executive officer Erick Nsikayezwe Sithole has refused to share information on the outcome of the regulatory body’s urgent board meeting, which was held on Thursday.
However, Ink Sport can reveal that the meeting resolved that Melissa Miller and Sharadene Fortuin must fight for the fourth time in two years as the BSA board upheld what was said in a press release regarding the outcome of the two boxers’ South African female bantamweight title fight, which took place at the East London International Convention Centre (ICC) this past Sunday.
“I will be meeting with the two boxers’ managers tomorrow (Saturday) and we will officially communicate the outcome of the meeting,” Sithole said when contacted on Friday.
The initial outcome of the fight was a split decision win for Miller after Lulama Mtya and Thandi Ngodwana’s score cards read 95-94 and 97-93 respectively with Allen Matakane giving the bout to Fortuin (96-94).
Sunday’s outcome was, however, annulled three days later after it was discovered that Mtya’s score card should have read 95-95 instead of the 95-94 announced after the fight. It also emerged that BSA provincial manager in the Eastern Cape Phakamile Jacobs had erred while tallying the score cards.
An Ink Sport source said on Friday: “What was said in the press release regarding the title fight between Fortuin and Miller has been upheld. The title remains with Fortuin. The two ladies are going to have a rematch towards the end of August in Durban.”
This is going to be the fifth time Seymour-born Fortuin and Miller from Eldorado Park in Johannesburg meet inside the ring since 2014. So far, Fortuin has won three with the other fight being a draw.
Meanwhile, it was also the second time that Jacobs had messed up in regards to an outcome of a fight as he declared Phumelela Cafu as the winner when he challenged current SA flyweight champion Jackson Chauke in March last year.
This was so despite Cafu winning on only one score card with the other two score cards having the fight as a draw.
Ludicrous