Boxing SA’s attempts to encourage women entrepreneurs to join the sport is proving to be beneficial to those who were awaiting a chance to stage and promote fights.
Responding to questions about transformation in the sport trough WhatsApp text, CEO of Boxing SA, Tsholo Lejaka conceded that it was imperative to get more women involved in the sport.
“It’s no longer a question of whether they should get involved or not; it’s now a question of how many do we have that actively promote the sport in our townships across the country,” he said.
He noted for the first time in the history of professional boxing, SA boasts 12 female promoters. For many years there had been only one female promoter, Glady Tsenene, who was also the first black woman to get a promoter’s licence.
She was followed by Mbali Zantsi of Showtime Promotion, a stable that unearthed the likes of Noni Tenge and Unathi Myekeni, who went on to win multiple world titles.
Today, BSA has Sonja Fernandes, Promise Moyo, Sbongile Matiti, Shereen Hunter, Zandile Malinga, Nokwanda Mbatha, Joyce Kungwane, Marianna Toweel, Mashudu Nekokwani, Janie Hebler and Boniswa Lamani as licenced promoters.
The women have been conducting their business diligently, Lejaka pointed out.
Tomorrow, Malinga’s Starline Promotions will be in Dundee, KwaZulu Natal, a place that has never hosted live boxing matches. She will organise an international tournament headlined by a WBF title fight.
Then on Sunday, Fernandes and Oscar Chauke’s BRD Promotion will stage a development tournament at Turffontein racecourse where Joshua Studdard will make a comeback against Saul Hlungwane.
Toweel’s Charing Cross Promotion will two weeks later be at Blairgowrie Hall in Randburg where Tshifhiwa Munyai will fight Siphosethu Mvula for the domestic lightweight vacant title.
Not to be outdone, on March 28, Kungwane’s TLB Promotion will be at Riviera Resort in Vanderbijlpark where Thulani Mbenge and Kuvesa Katembo will battle it out for a vacant ABU welterweight belt.
Seven days later, Mbatha’s Tono Promotions will stage a WBA Pan African middleweight championship between holder Nkululeko Mhlongo and Augustine Motata at Umfolozi Casino in Empangeni.
