Zantsi says she’s done with boxing for 2020

Internationally renowned female promoter Mbali “Don Queen” Zantsi has vehemently ruled out even the slightest chance of seeing her Showtime Boxing Promotion staging a tournament in 2020.

Zantsi, from Peddie in Eastern Cape, who staged the first female professional boxing tournament in 2007 in Durban — where Noni “She Bee Stingin’ Tenge and Unathi “African Queen” Myekeni made their pro debuts — usually is not seen early in the year.

She had over the years made sure that in August, SAs Women’s Month, she stages ’a women’s tournament

However, Zantsi, whose commitment to women boxing twice earned her the Women in Sport award with G-Sport Magazine, said the boxing fraternity must count her out for 2020.

Her last tournament was held at Nagoza Jebe Hall in New Brighton, Port Elizabeth, in March 2019, where she featured Myekeni, Nozipho Bell and Tenge.

“It is a definite no for me this year,” she said, citing danger to human life as posed by the coronavirus.

“For me 2020 is gone. If I could I would not count this year in years of living.”

Zantsi, who counts the WBF promoter of the year (2015/2016) and Boxing SA’s 2016 chairperson’s award among her numerous accolades, said she was taking her time to reflect until the pandemic was over.

“What is the point of rushing to stage fights, chasing money, while you expose a lot of people to this thing?

Zantsi said a friend of hers lost five members of her family to Covid-19.

“Staging a tournament requires that boxers, their trainers, officials and even tournament supervisor be taken under quarantine up until the day of the fight.

“There must be no chopping and changing of boxers in that line-up.

“You must keep all those people in a place of safety and provide everything to them. That is a huge expense,” she said. Additional report by

— Mesuli Zifo