Boxing South Africa (BSA) chief executive officer Tsholofelo Lejaka has sprung to action and called an urgent meeting after a furious Mlandeli Tengimfene accused the ratings committee of abuse of office.
The ratings committee irked Tengimfene after his boxer and former South African junior-bantamweight champion Lwando Mgabi was dropped to fourth spot as per the August ratings. Mgabi, who lost his title on the scales three months ago, was rated in third position in the June ratings following his fifth round stoppage win over Sechaba Zuma at the Estcourt Town Hall, KwaZulu-Natal.
And after losing to Mgabi, Zuma dropped to fourth position. Strangely, Zuma has now been elevated to the number one spot according to the latest August ratings.
Apparently, what got Tengimfene hot under the collar was a response from ratings committee chairperson Andre de Vries after he had pleaded Mgabi’s case to be moved up to number one following last month’s win over Ayanda Gangqa.
According to Tengimfene, De Vries told him that Mgabi had beaten a weak opponent something which didn’t go down well with the East London-based award-winning manager.
“I have since taken the matter to the BSA chief executive officer Tsholofelo Lejaka because the ratings committee failed to respond to my letter,” Tengimfene said.
“I have never fought against BSA before. However, they must be ready for me now because I hate abuse of power. I hate it when people abuse their office. I want them to provide me with a piece of legislation they used in dealing with Mgabi. I still insist that Mgabi cannot be punished again.”
Responding to a question from Ink Sport, Lejaka said: “The office is aware about displeasure expressed by Mgabi’s manager following the latest ratings publication. The office together with the ratings committee is in contact with Mgabi’s team to address the issue and provide the requested clarity. There’s a pending meeting scheduled and we are hopeful that the platform will enable amicable resolution of the matter.”
Tengimfene wrote to De Vries on Sunday and gave him an opportunity to respond to him before close of business on Tuesday.
“Your explanation is noted and acknowledged. In your explanation you alluded to the fact that Mgabi was a bantamweight and Zuma a junior-bantamweight and that Mr Ntlanganiso and yourself agreed that Mgabi can’t be considered to be a mandatory because of the weight difference,” Tengimfene said in the letter.
“Let me bring to your attention the fact that Mr Zuma agreed to fight Mr Mgabi regardless of him having been made aware of the difference in weight and that he was compensated 20 percent of Mr Mgabi’s purse money and BSA got 10 percent from the purse as well.
Your issue of weight difference is put aside by virtue of Mr Zuma agreeing to fight Mr Mgabi and be compensated for such weight difference.
“That weight difference is thrown out of the window by him agreeing to fight and get compensated for the weight difference. Mr Zuma had a choice not to take a fight and not get paid compensation from Mr Mgabi’s purse with BSA getting 10 percent of his purse and let the fight go on.”
Tengimfene added: “Mr Mgabi can’t be punished twice for the same offence, this becomes a double jeopardy. This is challengeable in labour law and I will challenge you and BSA on this matter.
“The second point is that Mr Mgabi fought an opponent with “poor record”. The poor opponent as you indicated was approved and sanctioned by the sanctioning committee of BSA. The committee saw it fit to approve and sanction the fight.
“This can’t be Mr Mgabi’s making, the committee has absolute powers not to sanction and approve a “weak opponent” and not Mr Mgabi. I must indicate that I will challenge this point as an issue not to put Mr Mgabi as a mandatory after making the junior-bantamweight in his last fight.”
In the letter Tengimfene asked to be furnished with a regulation, which support the decision taken by the ratings committee.
“I wish to request from you to provide me with a regulation or any piece of legislation that you rely on your explanation to drop Mr Mgabi to fourth place and elevate Mr Zuma, who has lost to Mr Mgabi by knockout to a mandatory position over him,” Tengimfene said.
“I, therefore, wish to dispute your two points of explanation regarding Mr Mgabi and still request that he be made a mandatory in the junior-bantamweight ratings.”
Tengimfene continued with his argument that Mgabi cannot be consistently penalised by BSA after losing the SA title and 30 percent of his purse in June.
“Mr Mgabi was stripped of his title for being overweight, which is a punishment by itself. The above is an unjust decision by your committee as it borders to abuse of office and very unfair to the affected boxer,” Tengimfene wrote. – Monwabisi Jimlongo
