Influential personalities in South Africa boxing, including promoter Branco Milenkovic, Terry Pettifer and trainer Elias Tshabalala, conceded on Wednesday that the moribund junior heavyweight division needed a drastic shake up.
The weight class, which used to boast top local fighters such as 90s champion Leonard Friedman, Freddie Rafferty, Siza Makhathini and Prince Tukani, has been reduced to just two boxers — Earl Morais (champion) and Baldwin Tshiakale.
The two have been matched for the main contest at Milenkovic’s ”Perfect Match” tournament at Wembley Arena on August 22.
But according to the new national ratings, there would no be challenge for the winner. The promoter, Milenkovic, said that the situation was cause for concern.
None of these influential gentlemen, however, came up with the remedy. They all agreed there was a problem but could not agree on the weight category being scrapped.
In fact Pettifer, the spokesperson for Golden Gloves, said: ”You need a division between heavyweight and light heavyweight because boxers like Earl and Sebastiaan Rothmann are not big enough to fight in the heavyweight and they cannot make the light heavyweight division (79,38kg).”
Rothmann is the former undefeated World Boxing Union (WBU) and current International boxing Organisation junior heavyweight (86,18kg) holder.
”So you cannot really scrap it,” reasoned Pettifer.
Tshabalala, whose boxer Jacob Mokokeng reigned as that weight class’s WBU champion before losing to Robert Norton a few years back, demanded to know what will happen after the ”Perfect Match”.
”Who will challenge whom” asked Tshabalala, who also guided former World Boxing Association and World Boxing Organisation lightweight (61,24kg) champion Dingaan ”The Rose” Thobela to winning the national and World Boxing Council super middleweight (76,2kg) titles in his first and second fights respectively in that weight class.
But Milenkovic’s general analysis was that problems in the South African boxing were from the welterweight division upwards.
He said Joseph Makaringe had beaten everybody in the welterweight while the only serious challenge to Tshepo Mashego’s junior middleweight title was William Gare.
Mpush Makambi’s national middleweight title is safe.
”There is no challenge. That weight division is weak,” said Milenkovic.
Andre Thysee is in the same situation as Makaringe. He has beaten all the boxers.
Jim Murray, who holds the national light heavyweight title, has not defended his title for almost 16-months.
”He has not received even a single challenger. It is also a cause for concern for the value of the title,’ added Milenkovic.
Anton Nel is sitting comfortably in the heavyweight category. – Sapa