BSA IS ‘ KILLING BOXING’
With purse bid rule
BOXING promoters have hit back at the controlling body over its decision on purse bids for mandatory defences of national titles.
On Thursday promoter Andile Sdinile accused Boxing South Africa (BSA) of not understanding the sport. This follows BSA s announcement this ’ week that from April 1 national titleholders will decide which promoter will stage their mandatory defence and that this will be done through purse bids.
Boxing in this country is led by people “who don t understand the sport and the ’ business of boxing,” said Sdinile. They are “hellbent on provoking promoters and even trying to take them out of business.”
The East London-based promoter said it was the responsibility of the champions ’ managers to negotiate better purses for their boxers.
For any boxer to get a better purse, “television coverage must be secured. To blame promoters for mediocre “purses for champions is hypocrisy on the part of BSA because they instructed the SABC and promoters not to engage in any negotiations.
” He said BSA tends to pronounce on policy decisions without any consultation.
I believe they should focus on two “things the court case against fellow – promoter Branco Milenkovic and the proper interpretation of the Boxing Act,” he said. Another promoter, S phatho Handi, said ’ the act stipulates that when there is disagreement between a champion and the mandatory challenger which is always a – result of the size of the purse a bid – should be conducted. Said Handi: Taking away the “rights of a promoter who has a contract with a champion who must make a mandatory defence, is not automatic. The promoter only loses his “rights over the champion when a planned fight goes to purse bids.”
Both Sdinile and Handi are former BSA board members.
Veteran promoter Mzimasi Mnguni, described BSA s stance as a big gamble ”.
’ “What happens when no promoter bids “because some champion can t sell even 20 ’ tickets? We bid for fights we believe are worth our money,” he said. I don t think what BSA is doing is “’ good for either the champions or boxing as a sport.”
Nick Durandt, a successful trainer who doubles up as a manager, said BSA made the decision without properly thinking through the issue. Remember there is no television cov“erage, so champions are going to defend for nothing. Fighters could easily turn their backs against South African titles,” said Durandt. I wonder what will happen in a sit“uation where only one promoter bids for R10 000, because if a champion does not abide by the bid rules he will be stripped of his title. If I was a South African titleholder I wouldn t ’ be happy with the BSA decision.”