By Monwabisi Jimlongo
A crisis has engulfed the already embattled Boxing South Africa (BSA) following the resignation of the chairperson of the ratings committee on Monday.
Andre de Vries has thrown in the towel following the BSA board’s decision to call into question his committee’s competence in rating boxers after they didn’t rate Sifiso Hlongwane in the junior-lightweight division.
“Please accept this as notice of my resignation from the BSA ratings committee. This has come about the unprecedented sanction of a non-rated boxer’s challenge for a South African boxing title. Sanctioning this fight is an affront to ratings committee and makes a mockery of the ratings and the time and effort that goes into compiling them. My service will end with the ratings published at the end of September 2023,” De Vries said in a letter to BSA board chairperson Luthando Jack on Monday.
The BSA board vetoed the sanctioning committee’s decision not to sanction Hlongwane’s fight against Asanda Gingqi in a vacant SA junior-lightweight title contest, which took place at the Orlando Community Hall in Soweto on Sunday. The sanctioning committee refused to sanction the fight as an SA title contest because Hlongwane is not rated in the junior-lightweight division.
The ratings committee had argued that Hlongwane’s last opponent Ripfumo Shikwambane had lost seven fights in a row. And also his previous opponent Tamiwe Chisolola from Zimbabwe was stopped in all his three fights here in South Africa.
How did that happen opponent that is having losses of seven in a row and still get chance to fight for tittle that gives a big question while there are boxers who had good record?
It is a shame that the sport we so love has been run by bullies who think than an office is a boxing ring… the nature of this sport, unlike others… office bearers see themselves as boxers in a heated press conference with media acting as bouncers to separate the 2 sides. Shame on all of you for neglecting sport and love that goes with it…