SA's fighters are 'cannon fodder'

The interim South African National Boxing Control Commission is like a toothless bulldog because some of its powers have been usurped by the provincial commissions.

Until Boxing South Africa (the name for the proposed new national body) comes into being, the current commission cannot act against promoters and managers who take fighters overseas without proper clearances from the national interim body.

Some promoters and managers have taken advantage of a protracted contractual dispute the national commission had with former CEO Mava Malla two years ago by using provincial commissions to get clearances for bouts overseas.

That is the view expressed by acting CEO Dumile Mateza who warned: "Unscrupulous trainers use local fighters as cannon fodder in bouts staged overseas. When this happens our boxers risk their lives in return for a pittance of a purse."

Mateza says only Britain demands a clearance from the national commission for South African fighters engaging in bouts over there.

"When the national commission turns down an application for a fighter to engage in a bout overseas, his handlers simply approach their provincial commission which clears them," said Mateza.

Mateza cited national junior welterweight champion Lawrence "Super Bad" Ngobeni's bout against Tirso Albia for the vacant WBC international lightweight title in the Philippines as an example of promoters using provinces to get their way. "We turned down Ngobeni's application because he was supposed to defend his title. But his promoter got a clearance from Mpumalanga," said Mateza.

Promoter Branco Milenkovic disputes this: "To date the acting CEO has not acknowledged or replied to an application by us even though I personally faxed him my copy of the approval from Mpumalanga," said Milenkovic.