Just last weekend I attended a boxing tournament in Polokwane where France Rama-bolu and Cluetus Mbele won WBF International junior middleweight and bantamweight belts.
Ramabolu outpointed Congolese Stanis Apanu after 12 energy-sapping rounds while Mbele cut Mxolisi Nombewu down to size in two.
It is not the results which drove me into penning down these few lines. It is rather the appearance of the officials. Simon Mokadi, Ben Ncapayi, Pumeza Zinakile and Siya Mani looked spiff in snow white shirts, black bowties and the same colour pants and boxing boots.
They looked presentable and in the process gave this bloody sport its long-lost pride and dignity.
Cleanliness is next to Godliness. Mokadi, Ncapayi and Mani were cleanly shaved while Zinakile wore cornrows tied up at the back.
Boxing South Africa (BSA) must get rid of the green shirts. The board of Muditambi Ravele must either pay officials decent purses or buy them uniforms. Some officials do not even have those ugly green shirts because they last received them in 2010, so they wear anything as long it is of that colour. Some wear funny shiny black pants – you would swear they had just returned in from Strictly Come Dancing.
In last weekend’s tournament in Polokwane I noticed two corner men, one wearing his Florsheim shoes and Brentwood pants while the other had his maroon pants, black silky T-shirt and a Paniza hat. You could mistake them for gangsters.
What happened to all white in the comers of boxers? Today you find a squadron in the corner yet the requirement is two – trainer and second, period.
I have seen BSA Eastern Cape manager Phakamile Jacobs chase away the hangers-on. Jacobs always look presentable and most of his officials look just like him except for Thandi Ngodwana, whose hairstyle and funny dots from her forehead down to her wrists makes her look like a magician. She and Namhla Tyhuluba should look at Siya Vabaza who, despite having been in this sport for over two decades, still looks very neat.
In Gauteng, BSA manager Archie Nyingwa must have a strong word with Neville Hotz and Jaap van Niewenhuizen for their beards. It makes them look like those bad white motorcyclists who use to beat up black people for no apparent reason during the dark days of apartheid, especially in Hillbrow. We use to call them ducktails – whatever it meant. Hotz and Van Niewenhuzien must look at Joseph Chaane, who is very neat.
Some of Nyingwa’s officials must stop wearing takkies and striped pants as if they are in a fashion show. He must also make sure seats reserved for officials at ring-side are occupied by relevant people. Friends and family members must sit with ordinary fans.
All provincial managers must also advise promoters to cordon off the ringside for the safety of judges and the media. The unruly invade that area and make so much noise that it becomes very difficult for the judges and media to work.
In the event their favoured boxer wins, they easily jump inside the ring and that is not good for the safety of referees.
What happened to security guards or even members of the police? I am of the opinion that security is one of the prerequisites for any promoter who wishes to have their application to stage a tournament approved. Congolese heavyweight fighter Martin Makabu has twice jumped inside the ring and caused havoc. The first time was when his brother Ilunga Makabu beat Thabiso Mchunu in Durban in May. The second time was when Durandt exchanged verbal barbs with fellow trainer Harry Ramogaodi whose boxer, Ramabolu, beat Apanu in Polokwane.
Hopefully Nyingwa reported Makabu to the board of BSA and serious actions must be taken against this foreign international.
Provincial managers must strictly allow only a trainer and a seconder in each corner, and those gentleman must look the part: simple white T-shirt and pants, and no caps or hats because such things make them look like thugs.
Boxing is a professional sport and to be treated as a such.
Spiff officials bring class to Polokwane
Ramabolu outpointed Congolese Stanis Apanu after 12 energy-sapping rounds while Mbele cut Mxolisi Nombewu down to size in two.
It is not the results which drove me into penning down these few lines. It is rather the appearance of the officials. Simon Mokadi, Ben Ncapayi, Pumeza Zinakile and Siya Mani looked spiff in snow white shirts, black bowties and the same colour pants and boxing boots.
They looked presentable and in the process gave this bloody sport its long-lost pride and dignity.
Cleanliness is next to Godliness. Mokadi, Ncapayi and Mani were cleanly shaved while Zinakile wore cornrows tied up at the back.
Boxing South Africa (BSA) must get rid of the green shirts. The board of Muditambi Ravele must either pay officials decent purses or buy them uniforms. Some officials do not even have those ugly green shirts because they last received them in 2010, so they wear anything as long it is of that colour. Some wear funny shiny black pants – you would swear they had just returned in from Strictly Come Dancing.
In last weekend’s tournament in Polokwane I noticed two corner men, one wearing his Florsheim shoes and Brentwood pants while the other had his maroon pants, black silky T-shirt and a Paniza hat. You could mistake them for gangsters.
What happened to all white in the comers of boxers? Today you find a squadron in the corner yet the requirement is two – trainer and second, period.
I have seen BSA Eastern Cape manager Phakamile Jacobs chase away the hangers-on. Jacobs always look presentable and most of his officials look just like him except for Thandi Ngodwana, whose hairstyle and funny dots from her forehead down to her wrists makes her look like a magician. She and Namhla Tyhuluba should look at Siya Vabaza who, despite having been in this sport for over two decades, still looks very neat.
In Gauteng, BSA manager Archie Nyingwa must have a strong word with Neville Hotz and Jaap van Niewenhuizen for their beards. It makes them look like those bad white motorcyclists who use to beat up black people for no apparent reason during the dark days of apartheid, especially in Hillbrow. We use to call them ducktails – whatever it meant. Hotz and Van Niewenhuzien must look at Joseph Chaane, who is very neat.
Some of Nyingwa’s officials must stop wearing takkies and striped pants as if they are in a fashion show. He must also make sure seats reserved for officials at ring-side are occupied by relevant people. Friends and family members must sit with ordinary fans.
All provincial managers must also advise promoters to cordon off the ringside for the safety of judges and the media. The unruly invade that area and make so much noise that it becomes very difficult for the judges and media to work.
In the event their favoured boxer wins, they easily jump inside the ring and that is not good for the safety of referees.
What happened to security guards or even members of the police? I am of the opinion that security is one of the prerequisites for any promoter who wishes to have their application to stage a tournament approved. Congolese heavyweight fighter Martin Makabu has twice jumped inside the ring and caused havoc. The first time was when his brother Ilunga Makabu beat Thabiso Mchunu in Durban in May. The second time was when Durandt exchanged verbal barbs with fellow trainer Harry Ramogaodi whose boxer, Ramabolu, beat Apanu in Polokwane.
Hopefully Nyingwa reported Makabu to the board of BSA and serious actions must be taken against this foreign international.
Provincial managers must strictly allow only a trainer and a seconder in each corner, and those gentleman must look the part: simple white T-shirt and pants, and no caps or hats because such things make them look like thugs.
Boxing is a professional sport and to be treated as a such.
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