Fighters honour Tata
Two world title bouts to headline month of Madiba celebrations
BIG plans to celebrate Mandela Month in honour of the late statesman Nelson Mandela were revealed in Mdantsane, East London, yesterday.
The jam-packed programme, featuring a series of activities, will be headlined by a six-bout boxing extravaganza sponsored by Xaba Promotions in partnership with the Nelson Mandela Foundation and the SABC at the East London ICC just six days after the world icon’s birthday.
The thrilling tournament bill will feature two world title fights that will see Ali “Rush Hour” Funeka facing Tsiko Mulovedzi for the IBO welterweight world title in the main bout while Lwandile Sityatha will defend his IBO junior bantamweight belt against Gideon Buthelezi.
Mdantsane boxer Bongani Silila will also put his SA junior flyweight title on the line against Lithemba Goje of Duncan Village in what is expected to be a breath-taking local derby.
Besides the boxing event, Xaba Promotions boss Ayanda Matiti, speaking at the Mdantsane Fitness Joint yesterday, further revealed that in honour of the annual Mandela 67 minutes of community service campaign, the dilapidated Sinethemba High School in NU4 will receive a massive makeover a day before the boxing show that is going to be beamed live on SABC.
Weigh-in is also scheduled to take place at the school and Matiti urged other “social partners” to contribute and join them in fixing up Sinethemba High.
Also on the weigh-in day, a group of poets doing 21 poems for 21 years of freedom will provide entertainment.
To top it up, on the day of the tournament, an electronic wheelchair will be handed over to political activist Nonkululeko Ndziweni.
Matiti said this social responsibility gesture, not the first by Xaba Boxing, proved that the sport can be used “to respond to social ills facing the masses of our people”.
To end the Mandela Month celebrations at the end of the boxing show, two lucky spectators will each go home R5 000 richer, courtesy of the best dressed in traditional attire and best dressed in western style prizes.
The best boxer of the tournament, on top of his guaranteed purse money, will walk away with an additional R10 000.
Winners of all the aforementioned prizes will be voted for by fans in attendance of the event.
“Both Xaba Promotions and the Nelson Mandela Foundation agree that this event is not only relevant but is also a necessary activities of amongst many in the country that are meant to celebrate Nelson Mandela Day,” said Matiti.
“Boxing in the Eastern Cape represents a possibility in the attainment of economic freedom in our lifetime which talks to the strategic objective of the generational mission that I participated in defining,” added Matiti.
Non-title fights featured in the bill includes two six rounders, one in junior lightweight between Aphiwe Mboyiya and Wonga Mhlana, while Mxolisi Nombewu will battle it out with Mfusi Maxhayi in a junior featherweight tussle.
Masizole Nkonki will take on Lubabalo Stoyile in a four round junior featherweight scrap that will conclude the undercard. —