Former state president Nelson Mandela, who used to train at the DOCC hall in Soweto although he never boxed, has been unanimously voted into Boxing World’s Hall of Fame by its board of directors.
The decision was announced by Duane Moodley during a media briefing at Boxing South Africa’s offices in Midrand on Tuesday.
Moodley, chief executive officer for American film production company Imagine That, which has a close working relationship with the Nelson Mandela’s Children Fund, said he persuaded the World Boxing Hall of Fame to consider inducting Mandela because he was the greatest champion ever.
”I specifically told them that they may have the great Joe Louis, Mohammed Ali and Sugar Ray Robinson but they did not have the greatest champion of all time,” said the suave American whose company brought American actor Will Smith to South Africa last year.
”They demanded to know who was I talking about and when I told them Nelson Mandela, who laced up gloves to KO (knock out) apartheid in a fashion that will never be duplicated in his life time, they said, ‘fantastic’.”
Moodley said Mandela’s ”honorary induction” was deserved for the man who donned a boxing glove for different reasons.
Moodley also announced that Mandela would be presented with a special belt, and added that the presentation might well coincide with Mandela’s 85th birthday celebrations in July.
The World Boxing Hall of Fame has already written a letter of congratulations to Mandela although no specific date for their annual banquet has been set.
In closing the letter reads: ”It should be a great event and we are proud to be part of it. Please inform us of your acceptance at your convenience.”
”It’s up to him to pick and choose when he wants to accept it but we hope that he does accept,” said Moodley, who kept journalists waiting for an hour.
Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Louis Farrakhan, the US leader of the Nation of Islam, accomplished boxing mentor Emmanuel Stewart, and former professional boxers Schoolboy Nhlapho and Gladstone Mahlo have also written letters of congratulations to Mandela. – Sapa