I want to take Boxing to the next level - Webster
Eswatini Boxing Association President Webster Lukhele says he wants to take the sport to the next level.
Lukhele revealed his goal to the Eswatini Sunday in Durban during the ongoing Mandela African Cup.
The 50-year-old boxing administrator says he wants to promote the girl-child by giving female boxers an opportunity to showcase their talent on the big stage.
Lukhele has already embarked on a mission to achieve this goal by including three female boxers in the national team that is currently in action at the Durban International Convention Centre in South Africa.
He is also a Board member in the African Boxing Council (AFBC). This is how the interview progressed.
ES: Morning President, thanks for allowing to engage you, can you tell us about yourself.
WL: My name is Webster Gcinumuzi Lukhele. I am a 50-year-old Liswati, born at Sicelwini in the outskirts of Manzini.
ES: Can you briefly tell us about your background in boxing.
WL: I am a former boxer, and I started my career with Simunye Boxing Club in 1990, and I later joined Zebra Forces, where I oversaw the Manzini branch. I then ventured into administration after I returned from school in South Africa, where I studied Business Management.
ES: When did you join the Eswatini Boxing Association?
WL: I started serving as vice president to former president Pearl Dlamini for one term between 2016 and 2020. I then assumed the presidency in 2020 and my term of office will come to an end in September 2024.
ES: Do you believe you deserve another term as president?
WL: I personally believe I’ve done well for the sport during my term of office through the support of the Executive Committee. I feel we can still do a lot better for the sport if given a chance.
ES: What are your achievements so far?
WL: I have managed to introduce the Trade Fair Cup exhibition bouts, where we featured local celebrities, such as Prophet ‘Major V’ ( Vusumuzi Dlamini).
We have also introduced the girl-child to big stages, such as Veliswa Magaya, Lucia Groening and Temalangeni Dlamini, who are part of the team that is currently competing in Durban. We have also managed to harmonise the sport by curbing infightings, which are a setback for any sporting codes in the country.
ES: What are your plans to bring back domestic competitions across the country?
WL: We are working around the clock to bring back mini competitions in the country. We are currently in talks with several sponsors that are willing to sponsor such competitions.
ES: What roles do the International Boxing Association and AFBC play in improving the sport?
WL: The two bodies are extremely working hard to improve the sport on the continent. This includes the introduction of the Mandela Cup and we recently received boxing equipment from IBA worth close to E2 million. We appreciate the support that we are receiving from government through the Eswatini Sports and Recreation Council. We are grateful to local companies that supported us during our trip to Durban, such as OK Foods, Dixie’s International and Cuddle Puddle.
ES: What are your challenges so far?
WL: We are currently encountering various challenges as a country, such as the lack of enough marketing of the sport. These include the introduction of exhibition bouts, where we can possibly rope in international celebrities to play against their local counterparts. We further want to introduce prize monies in our domestic competitions in order to change the lives of our athletes.