The much-publicised boxing tournament set for the Moses Mabhida Stadium on Sunday is in doubt as boxers, trainers and managers who are scheduled to take part in the show are yet to receive their airtickets to Durban, 48 hours before the event.
Boxers, trainers and managers who spoke to Ink Sport on condition of anonymity have expressed their worries as they don’t know whether the tournament is still on or not.
“Right now, we don’t know what is happening. We are still waiting for our tickets so that we can fly to Durban,” a boxing trainer, who asked to remain anonymous, said.
Another boxing trainer said: “We are not sure of anything anymore. We have been waiting for our tickets all week.”
Ink Sport can reveal that female boxer Maricela Cornejo from Los Angeles, California, in the United States is still in Johannesburg after checking out of a hotel and is waiting for her airticket so that she can proceed to Durban.
The 35-year-old Cornejo is scheduled to meet South African female middleweight champion Mapule Ngubane in a World Boxing Organisation (WBO) International title fight.
Rene Tellez Giron and his Mexican compatriot Jorge Luis Orozco Mendoza are also in Johannesburg waiting for their tickets to Durban. Giron is due to face off with Azinga ‘Golden Boy’ Fuzile in a vacant International Boxing Organisation (IBO) Intercontinental lightweight title fight while Mendoza is scheduled to clash with SA bantamweight champion Ronald Malindi in a World Boxing Federation (WBF) contest.
Efforts to speak to J4Joy Boxing Promotions chairman Jacob Mnisi and the promotional outfit’s chief executive officer Arnold ‘Squire’ Nododile failed. Mnisi’s cellphone was off while Nododile’s phone rang unanswered.
