Shielding SA boxers delays progress

While I agree with the concept of protecting up-and-coming boxers, we must avoid over-protecting them. Some of these boxers end up being matched with harmless journeymen where they end up learning nothing.

By the time they meet good boxers, they get blown away in seconds. There’s no doubt Ricardo Malajika is going places. Sadly, we said the same thing about Azinga Fuzile and he became cocky. There were even rumours of Fuzile’s off-the-ring, wayward behaviour. Fuzile had no business losing to Shavkat Rakhimov.

I still believe Fuzile will be a credible world champion one day. Malajika can learn lessons from Fuzile’s misfortunes. He needed that fight against Mnqobi Mkhize. He needed a fight against a bulldozer and Mkhize gave him that.

I’m glad he came out tops after encountering scary moments. While protecting boxers like Malajika, we need to be mindful that boxers like Muhammad Ali and Mike Tyson were world champions before the age of 23.

Opportunities must not be wasted if they avail themselves, and we need to stop giving our boxers the impression that 25-year-olds are still youngsters.

Richardson Mzaidume, Pimville