The proposed vacant South African junior-welterweight title fight between Aphiwe ‘Swagger’ Boyiya and Sipho Mahlangu, which is scheduled for next Sunday, 25 May, is in serious doubt.
This followed after the handlers of number two-rated Sibusiso Zingange wrote a letter to Boxing South Africa (BSA) complaining about their boxer being sidelined in favour of Mahlangu, who is eighth in the ratings. The Zingange camp is pushing for him to face off against Boyiya in the vacant title fight.
And Ink Sport can reveal that BSA has already written to Boyiya’s promoter Mzi Booi of Kay B Promotions giving him until Monday to get a step aside letter from Zingange if he wants his boxer’s fight against Mahlangu to be sanctioned as a national junior-welterweight title contest.
“It is therefore recommended that you urgently engage with the Zingange camp to obtain the required step aside letter. Alternatively, you may propose to Boxing SA that the bout be staged as a non-title contest, noting that all other scheduled bouts of the tournament card remain unaffected and free of issues. We kindly request your formal response on or before 10h00 on Monday, 19 May 2025, to enable us to bring this matter to an amicably and timely solution,” a BSA letter to Booi said.
The SA title became vacant after former champion Ntethelelo Nkosi relinquished it in favour of participating in the WBC Grand Prix in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Initially, Boyiya signed to face off against Mahlangu at the Orient Theatre in East London on Sunday, 27 April. But that tournament got postponed owing to the renovations taking place at the Orient Theatre.
At the time of pitting Boyiya against Mahlangu, Zingange was engaged to face Talent Baloyi whom he beat on points in Sandton, Johannesburg, in March. – Monwabisi Jimlongo
