AFTER a scare that Premier Boxing League (PBL) might vanish for good, boxing fans have breathed a sigh of relief with the scheduling of fights by the money-spinning league at East London’s Orient Theatre this Friday.
And this time organisers have vowed to take care of business to avoid the last cancellation of the league tournament three weeks ago just hours before the first bout.
The cancellation raised fears that the league might ultimately be scrapped especially after a threat by local promoters that they would stop its operation following the money dispute between PBL boss Dicksy Ngqula and King William’s Town promoter Chris Pondo.
However, Ngqula had steadfastly maintained that the cancellation was due to technical glitches by his own production team that distributes the fights via e.tv for live screening.
While Ngqula apologised profusely for the late withdrawal, boxers were left frustrated as they had prepared hard for their fights with current SA junior-lightweight champion Xolisani “Nomeva” Ndongeni and Eastern Cape lightweight kingpin Vusumi Bokolo making bold predictions to cut each other down to size.
But now with the scheduling of fights this Friday, the pair will get an opportunity to back their bravado when they clash in the lightweight division.
Other bouts that were scheduled for the cancelled tournament will also take place this Friday with Makazole Tete and Vusumzi Magwaca trading leather in the flyweight duel.
Macbute Sinyabi will oppose Lwando Molwana in a featherweight encounter.
Just to appease the fans, Ngqula has added a bantamweight bout involving Johannesburg’s Cleutus Mbele facing KwaZulu-Natal’s lone PBL participant Innocent Mantengu.
Ngqula has allayed fears that the financial partners of the league wanted to pull out due to e.tv’s decision to broadcast the tournaments live.
He revealed that the Eastern Cape Gambling and Betting Board was still on board and the provincial department of sport, arts and culture had been secured as a financial partner.
“We still have our media partners as well so everything is the same,” he said.
TTT Promotions boss Asanda Madikane, who will make her promotional debut, has promised fireworks and ruled out any possibility of another last-minute hitch.
“This time boxing fans must rest assured that there will be no disappointments of a cancellation,” she said.
League action to hit Orient trail again
And this time organisers have vowed to take care of business to avoid the last cancellation of the league tournament three weeks ago just hours before the first bout.
The cancellation raised fears that the league might ultimately be scrapped especially after a threat by local promoters that they would stop its operation following the money dispute between PBL boss Dicksy Ngqula and King William’s Town promoter Chris Pondo.
However, Ngqula had steadfastly maintained that the cancellation was due to technical glitches by his own production team that distributes the fights via e.tv for live screening.
While Ngqula apologised profusely for the late withdrawal, boxers were left frustrated as they had prepared hard for their fights with current SA junior-lightweight champion Xolisani “Nomeva” Ndongeni and Eastern Cape lightweight kingpin Vusumi Bokolo making bold predictions to cut each other down to size.
But now with the scheduling of fights this Friday, the pair will get an opportunity to back their bravado when they clash in the lightweight division.
Other bouts that were scheduled for the cancelled tournament will also take place this Friday with Makazole Tete and Vusumzi Magwaca trading leather in the flyweight duel.
Macbute Sinyabi will oppose Lwando Molwana in a featherweight encounter.
Just to appease the fans, Ngqula has added a bantamweight bout involving Johannesburg’s Cleutus Mbele facing KwaZulu-Natal’s lone PBL participant Innocent Mantengu.
Ngqula has allayed fears that the financial partners of the league wanted to pull out due to e.tv’s decision to broadcast the tournaments live.
He revealed that the Eastern Cape Gambling and Betting Board was still on board and the provincial department of sport, arts and culture had been secured as a financial partner.
“We still have our media partners as well so everything is the same,” he said.
TTT Promotions boss Asanda Madikane, who will make her promotional debut, has promised fireworks and ruled out any possibility of another last-minute hitch.
“This time boxing fans must rest assured that there will be no disappointments of a cancellation,” she said.
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