SA boxing taking serious beating
● South African boxing hit new lows in 2023, with more than 85% of fighters who competed abroad being defeated — the worst losing ratio in more than 50 years.
Yet that’s the least of local professional boxing’s woes right now, with the sport potentially in danger of shutting down amid the threat of legal action.
The National Professional Boxing Promoters’ Association (NPBPA) — which interdicted the newly appointed Boxing South Africa (BSA) board from taking office — is warning it will go to court to have the appointment of acting CEO Mandla Ntlanganiso declared invalid.
The NPBPA, fronted by Ayanda Matiti, is claiming Ntlanganiso was put in place by the interdicted board and is, therefore, in contempt of court, a charge BSA is disputing.
An NPBPA action might give Ntlanganiso the chance to argue that the association has no legal standing — as alleged by several promoters — and that could see the board returning through the back door. Sports minister Zizi Kodwa’s legal team failed to oppose the merits of the application against the board.
But if an NPBPA action were to succeed, there is speculation that without a board and a CEO, the sport, which is governed by the Boxing Act, cannot legally keep going.
Who ultimately would take responsibility for approving licences when they come up for renewal in April?
And what about the sanctioning of tournaments and boxers fighting overseas?
Another legal spanner was introduced by a recent court judgment that found a celebrity bout
— and by implication white-collar boxing as a whole — was illegal. With the amateur code in a weak state, white-collar action has enjoyed popularity, and even served as a modest feeder for the professionals.
The biggest measure of the drop in amateur standards was the fact that for the first time since readmission, no South African boxer was able to book an Olympic ticket at the African qualifying tournament last year.
There’s a strong sense that fisticuffs is hanging on by a thread.
Just four out of 42 professional boxers won outside the country in 2023, according to statistics compiled by historian Andre de Vries. Two fighters drew and the remaining 36 lost.
While it’s not the highest number of losses recorded in a year — 2002 saw 91 defeats against 31 wins beyond the borders — it is the worst ratio of the modern era, dating back to the early 1970s when boxers based themselves abroad on multi-fight contracts.
“No doubt the lack of local opportunities forced our boxers to look elsewhere for action, but [did so] at the risk of ruining their local and international ratings and therefore [jeopardising] opportunities for more lucrative fights,” said De Vries.
“With very few exceptions, local boxers fight to put food on the table, not money in the bank — so they cannot be faulted for grabbing every opportunity they are offered.”
This year is starting with four of South Africa’s best-known fighters in action abroad. Nomeva Ndongeni was stopped in Las Vegas last weekend, and last night Lunga Stimela was set to take on Moroccan Moussa Gholam in Abu Dhabi.
National champion Jackson Chauke faces Quaise Khademi for the IBO flyweight title in London next Saturday and Sivenathi Nontshinga will attempt to reclaim his IBF juniorflyweight crown from Adrian Curiel in Mexico City on February 16.
De Vries said South African title bouts continued to be outnumbered by other title fights, at more than two-to-one.
Active female fighters made up just more than 12% of the fistic population, but there were 11 female national title bouts versus 19 by men.
Another worrying statistic showed the high number of early knockouts in provincial title bouts. “More than 50% of all provincial title fights are over before the conclusion of the fourth round, and 75% before the end of the sixth round,” De Vries noted.
“This is clearly an indication that provincial title fights are approved simply to fill vacant titles, with little regard for the quality of the fight.”
With very few exceptions, local boxers fight to put food on the table, not money in the bank — so they cannot be faulted for grabbing every opportunity they are offered
Andre de Vries
Historian