Boxing world mourns Len Hunt
Administrator loses fight after a year of ill health
Condolences are pouring in for the late internationally renowned boxing referee, judge and administrator Len Hunt.
The soft-spoken, straight-talking official, who played an important role in fighting against dictatorship during Stan Christodoulou’s time as chairmsn of the then SA Boxing Commission, died at Linksfield Hospital in Johannesburg on Saturday.
His wife Wendy told Sowetan yesterday that 79-year-old Hunt had had stomach problems.
“He had a hernia [an organ forced through a torn muscle or tissue] and had an operation on Wednesday – and he died on Saturday afternoon.”
Hunt was a boxing administrator for over 40 years. He was appointed IBO Championship supervisor by Florida, USA-based president Ed Levine in 2008. He had not been to a bout for over a year due to his poor health, and Levine appointed Andile Matika to keep things going.
BSA Gauteng manager Archie Nyingwa reminisced about the good times he’d had with Hunt when they fought against injustice.
“We went together to most provinces to influence stakeholders to stand up against dictatorship. The boxing fraternity will miss Len badly,” he said.
Former world champion Dingaan Thobela said: “We woke up and wished each other a Happy Father’s day unaware that another father has missed this day... Len was one of us.”