FINALLY, PURSE INCREASES FOR BOXERS 

It looks like good times are coming for boxers as they are set to smile all the way to the bank as there’s going to be a hike in their purses.  

Pugilists have, for a very long time, been on the receiving end of some unscrupulous promoters who were paying them R1000 per round something which was heavily criticised by Gayton McKenzie, the Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture, during the national boxing convention held at the International Convention Centre (ICC) in East London five months ago. 

During a meeting with licensed and unlicensed promoters on Wednesday, a BSA board presentation revealed that a proposal had been made that boxers’ purses must be increased per round. 

“Going forward, no boxer must earn less than R20 000. To the extent, the department will also contribute towards the boxers’ purses and this money will be given to Boxing SA to manage and distribute,” said a ministerial directive to the promoters. 

“Promoters will, therefore, also have to increase their contribution towards the new “minimum wage” for boxers from the current R1000 per round to R2500 minimum per round.”

The meeting re-iterated that ring officials are also going to be remunerated handsomely as well. Initially, ring officials were paid R350 per tournament and the fee increased to R1000.

It’s now been suggested that nine ring officials should be appointed to officiate at a tournament and will each receive R2000 on top of the R1000 they are currently receiving from promoters. The officials will be made up of one referee, three judges, a timekeeper, a glove steward, two corner inspectors and a reserve ring official. 

The ministerial directive said: “No ring official must earn less than R1000 per tournament, irrespective of whether it’s a developmental, national or international tournament.”