Lonwabo Witbooi is seething with rage after Siseko Makeleni made it clear that he won’t be ready to defend his Eastern Cape lightweight title against Hlumelo Gingxana in Komani early next month.
Mthatha-born Makeleni and Gingxana are scheduled to test each other’s fistic skills at the Thobi Kula Indoor Sports Centre on Saturday, 7 February. However, Makeleni, a former South African junior-welterweight title contender, has sent a message indicating that he’s not ready to exchange leather with Gingxana.
“My brother, I’m not ready to fight on the seventh, I’m sorry,” Makeleni, who cited ill-health as a reason of not availing himself to face Gingxana in March last year, said in a voice note.
Witbooi, who trains Gingxana, responded by saying: “I’m gonna take that up with Boxing South Africa because we cannot have a situation whereby the provincial title is held hostage by a boxer who is not serious. Makeleni did this thing in March last year and is doing it again this time around.
“Hlumelo has been knocking on his door and it’s almost a year now. On one occasion, Makeleni never submitted a medical report even though he had said that he was not well. BSA did nothing against him and I kept quiet, but not this time.
“I’m going to challenge this. I want BSA to take action against Makeleni because Hlumelo might end up fighting for an interim title instead of a fully fledged provincial title.”
With Makeleni continuing with his antics, Witbooi is now pushing for Siyagcoba Veyishiwe to face Gingxana in a vacant title fight. Veyishiwe drew with Ndibulele Ngqamza last December.
“Makeleni was notified on time about this fight. He only committed to fighting once he was told that he was on the verge of being replaced by Veyishiwe. He told the promoter that he was ready and Veyishiwe was removed. Now he comes saying that he won’t be ready to fight on the seventh. I’m waiting to see what action Boxing South Africa is going to take against Makeleni,” Witbooi said. – Monwabisi Jimlongo
