Bongani Fule’s fight against Jeff Magagane may have taken place more than a week ago, but the fall out from the bout continues as his manager Andile Mshumpela has blasted Colin ‘Nomakanjani’ Nathan for what he described as poking his nose in a business, which has nothing to do with him.
Mshumpela said that he got hot under the collar after he read an application for the review of the fight, which he said was written by Nathan. The letter to Boxing South Africa (BSA) was calling for a review of the Fule-Magagane after the Makhanda boxer was declared a winner via a split decision.
However, it seems that a request to put on hold Fule’s challenge to current South African featherweight champion Lindelani Sibisi until the review matter has been dealt with has angered Mshumpela.
Writing to BSA, Mshumpela said: “I think Mr Colin Nathan must just back off from the affairs of Jeff Magagane, especially representing Jeff Magagane in Boxing South Africa. He might assist Jeff Magagane in other affairs not to represent him in Boxing South Africa because he has no management contract with Jeff Magagane.”
Mshumpela added: “The email by Mr Colin Nathan, in my view, must be ignored as he has no right whatsoever to represent Jeff Magagane in Boxing South Africa. Boxing South Africa is governed by the South African Boxing Act ( Act 11 of 2001) and its regulations. It doesn’t care about people’s friendships and relations. I will never allow Mr Colin Nathan to take Boxing South Africa for a ride, especially when it comes to the future of my boxer.”
Mshumpela made an example of what happened to him when he wanted a review of Enathi Stelle’s fight against Gcina Makhoba in October 2021.
According to Mshumpela, former BSA director of operations Cindy Nkomo, who was the boxing regulator’s acting chief executive officer at the time, told him that his application would never be entertained because he didn’t have a management contract with Stelle.
“BSA must, therefore, be consistent and not entertain the request from Mr Colin Nathan. I will, therefore, watch with interest if Mr Nathan’s request for a review will be entertained,” Mshumpela said.
Meanwhile, Mshumpela has made it clear that he doesn’t have a problem with Fule’s fight against Magagane being reviewed because he believes that a review will come out with a similar outcome.
“I am not worried about the review as I know that Bongani Fule did enough to win the fight. However, BSA must not be intimidated by people like Mr Colin Nathan,” Mshumpela said.
“Furthermore, Mr Colin Nathan is spitefully demanding that Bongani Fule be hindered by Boxing South Africa (BSA) for fighting for South African title. This demand by Mr Nathan is illogical and malicious because Bongani Fule was never compelled to fight with Jeff Magagane for him to be eligible to fight for the South African title.
“It was our choice to fight with Jeff Magagane for Bongani Fule to gain more experience. This, therefore, means that fighting Jeff Magagane was never an elimination fight for Bongani Fule as he has been eligible to challenge for a South African title anyway. This demand by Mr Colin Nathan is, therefore, misdirected and doesn’t hold any substance.” – Monwabisi Jimlongo
