Bay set to host boxing awards

PORT Elizabeth’s Boardwalk Casino has all but been confirmed as the venue for the Boxing SA awards.

This was confirmed by BSA chief executive Tsholofelo Lejaka after he attended an inspection mission at the venue with the provincial Department of Sports, Recreation, Arts and Culture last week.

Although the official confirmation is yet to be made, Lejaka is confident that finally the venue, which has been a stumbling block, will be named.

“We are all but confident that the awards will be held at the Boardwalk Casino in Port Elizabeth,” he said.

“This is a huge relief because it will help us in going ahead with our logistical planning.”

However, the original date of January 26 has been changed to February 2, as the venue has already been pre-booked on the initial date.

There was uncertainty as to whether the awards would be held in Port Elizabeth or East London, after provincial Sports MEC Pemmy Majodina announced the Eastern Cape would be next in line. Although the Boardwalk was the first preference due to its existing relations with the department owing to it serving as the hosts for provincial sports awards, East London later emerged as a likely venue due to boxing popularity in the region.

Several meetings were held between the department and the Buffalo City metro, but the only suitable venue, the ICC, was far more expensive.

BSA has already released its nomination forms and rule book on its website for fans to vote for their preferred category winners.

The nominations opened on Friday last week and will close on December 6, with the awards adjudication committee set to meet a week earlier to start sifting through the various category nominations.

Last year, the awards were won by Eastern Cape boxers Xolisani Ndongeni and Bukiwe Nonina, respectively.

In fact, East Cape boxing nominees dominated the awards in Durban and although the province has suffered a dearth of tournaments this year, it is tipped to rule the roost again.