There’s confusion regarding Simphiwe ‘V12’ Vetyeka’s possible return to Tanzania as news coming from the East African country suggests that the former South African bantamweight champion is not going to fight there.
Sadah Kasonso, a Tanzanian boxing promoter, told Ink Sport that Vetyeka needs to be cleared by Boxing South Africa (BSA) first before he can get a fight in Tanzania.
Vetyeka, who is licensed by BSA as a trainer, told Ink Sport recently that he was was due to fight against Tanzanian boxer Ibrahim Class Mgender in Dar-Es-Salaam on Saturday, 27 January.
This followed after the erstwhile World Boxing Association (WBA) and International Boxing Organisation (IBO) featherweight champion lost on points to Tanzanian boxer Abeig Zugo whose real name is Abeid Kessy Kasongo in Dar-Es-Salaam, Tanzania, last month.
“We got calls from South Africa, we don’t want problems. We can’t work with someone who’s not good with his commission. This is nothing personal. We respect the commission in South Africa. We respect him as well. He must talk to his commission if he wants to be licensed as a boxer,” Sadah Kasonso from Kemmon Sports Agency in Tanzania said.
Vetyeka said: “The fight is not happening anymore. Things have been made difficult for me to fight in Tanzania. I have been informed that BSA has said that I can’t fight in Tanzania without being cleared.”
Contacted for comment, acting BSA chief executive officer Mandla Ntlanganiso said: “It would be unprocedural for us to engage people in Tanzania without having spoken to Vetyeka. We never called or spoke to anyone in Tanzania.”
