‘Let private business run Boxing SA’
Boxing SA cannot succeed in running the professional sport productively, produce good boxers and also make the sport a lucrative code, Thabani Khumalo said.
Khumalo is the former BSA board member who resigned in 2012 — a year after being appointed by then sport minister Fikile Mbalula.
Khumalo said from his experience, BSA should consider a model that promotes the active involvement of private business in the running of professional boxing.
“In fact, the day-to-day running of professional boxing should be given to private business while BSA remain the regulator responsible for appointing the service provider and monitoring compliance to the act.
“That will assist in making sure that pro boxing becomes self-sufficient,” Khumalo said.
“The government does not have the capacity to attract sponsorship investors; we all know that the private sector are always reluctant in contributing with sponsorship in agencies that are run or owned by government, because they don’t want to be associated with controversies.
“Like SAA, SABC, Denel, Eskom and others, BSA is supposed to be a state agency that runs the country’s professional boxing as a self-sustaining business.”
Khumalo said it was an indisputable fact that boxing was reeling on the ropes and had fallen from the celebrated and iconic brand status it had once enjoyed.
He said like the SOEs, BSA relied on government bailouts most of the time.
He recently watched television to compare the Extreme Fighting Championships (EFC) with BSA events.
“While boxing remains more vibrant, tactical, technical and action-packed, EFC fights are cluttered, tedious, immobile and mediocre,” he said.
“But, when it comes to sponsorship, the EFC is an undisputed champ.
“From energy drinks, sports betting, sporting gear and others, the EFC arena is home to powerful brands.
“Boxing used to be counted alongside football and rugby, but today it cannot even compete with the EFC.”
The last time Boxing SA had sponsors was when Mthobi Tyamzashe was the chair. He brought almost R40m to BSA in 2004.
The regulatory body gets R12m from the government each year.