Lords of the ring in spotlight
Ten former SA world champions will be fêted at an end-ofyear boxing awards function organised by Xaba Promotions (XP) at Osner Hotel on Sunday.
This was revealed by XP at their pre-medical of a scheduled tournament featuring five title bouts at Orient Theatre on Friday night.
The former champions across the land to be honoured are those who won world championships between 1990 and 2000.
The list includes Hall of Famer Brian Mitchell, who reigned as WBA junior-lightweight champion, making 11 title defences on foreign soil.
Others include Thulani “Sugarboy” Malinga, who won the WBC super-middleweight crown twice, one of only two SA boxers to do so.
The other boxer was Dingaan Thobela, who will also be included on the list.
“They have all confirmed that they will attend the event,” said XP boss Ayanda Matiti.
The function highlight will be recognition of recently retired, former world featherweight champion Simpiwe Vetyeka.
Vetyeka was forced to retire from the ring after a freak hitand-run car accident.
He will be honoured for being the biggest contributor to boxing.
The former IBO bantamweight and featherweight and WBA featherweight king seemed to have resurrected his career when he bounced back from a disappointing loss to unheralded Lerato Dlamini in a featherweight bout to knock out Thompson Mokwana in a lightweight duel.
Sadly, his career was cut short by the accident which left him in a hospital bed for several months.
He is now walking with the aid of crutches.
They have all confirmed that they will attend the event
Ayanda Matiti
Xaba Promotions boss