WBF flayed for ‘tarnishing the image of boxing’

CAPE Town-based World Boxing Federation (WBF) has come under fire from top boxing personalities, who openly said the body is tarnishing the image of boxing.

Promoters Andile Sidinile from East London and Namibian Nestor Tobias, retired boxers Dingaan “The Rose of Soweto” Thobela and Keith Rass, said the sanctioning body is perfect for gym fighters and for aspiring youngsters, let alone seasoned boxers, who have already held belts from the big five sanctioning bodies – the WBA, WBC, IBF, WBO and IBO.

The criticism of the WBF came after it recently sanctioned Namibian boxer Bethuel Ushona for a WBF welterweight title contest in Namibia recently, where he suffered a split points loss to Deniz Ilbay of Germany. Ushona was coming off a loss of his IBO AllAfrica belt in December, and was also not rated in the top 10 to be eligible to challenge for a title.

Sidinile said yesterday: “I have never promoted a WBF sanctioned fight. I have made good network with the WBA and IBO. All my boxers are taken through this route because these sanctioning bodies are recognised worldwide along with the WBC and the IBF. I do not degrade it but it is minimal and is not recognised anywhere else.”

Tobias said nobody will ever take you seriously with an WBF title, while Thobela said the WBF was more suited for gym fighters.

WBF president Howard Goldberg hit back: “The story was manufactured by a promoter who knocked another promoter because he worked with us.

“We are the only organisation which gives opportunities to people. This is just b***shit.”