THE camp of Duncan Village fighter Simpiwe Vetyeka was still stuck in Australia yesterday not knowing if his WBA-IBO featherweight unification clash against Indonesian Chris John will go ahead as scheduled on Friday.
This is in the wake of a threat of an interdict by SA-born, Australian former IBF junior-welterweight champion Lovemore Ndou who claims that he has a valid contract with Vetyeka.
Ndou, a lawyer by profession said that Vetyeka’s fight with John was concluded without his knowledge despite signing a two-year management contract with Vetyeka in 2011.
Ndou claims the contract contained a clause stipulating that should Vetyeka become a champion the pact would extend by two years.
Vetyeka became IBO world champion when he beat another Indonesian Daud Yordan by a 12th-round stoppage in Jakarta in April.
Ndou is demanding a $20000 (about R204000) in compensation from Dragonfire Promotions which will stage the fight to be paid by 2pm yesterday failing which he will block the fight.
Vetyeka denies signing the contract although he admits that Ndou did send him the papers.
“I never signed those papers so he is lying if he says I am contracted to him,” the fighter said.
Now already in Australia, the SA camp is on tenterhooks waiting to see if Ndou will carry out the threat.
Speaking from Australia, Vetyeka’s promoter-manager Andile Sidinile said one of the fight organisers has hired renowned SA boxing lawyer Phillip Silver to represent them in the matter.
“ who we have been dealing since arriving here told us that Ndou has no case and that we should not be worried,” said Sidinile.
“Remember this guy was also involved in Vetyeka’s fight against Yordan, so he knows what he is talking about here.”
Ndou has claimed that he even gave Vetyeka cash to settle personal problems including paying rent.
Sidinile, who promoted one of Vetyeka’s fights when he beat Sibusiso Khumalo by a fourth round knockout in Mdantsane last December, wanted Ndou to explain why he never raised the issue of the contract before the fight.
Asked if he had a chance to speak to Ndou in Australia, Sidinile said the lawyers have advised him not to.
“I want him to produce this signed contract but so far nothing has been forwarded to us except his demands of compensation which will not happen.”
Vetyeka is not new to such controversy with several other former managers claiming he took money from them then left to join other stables.
Promoters such as Branco Milenkovic and Rodney Berman and managers Nick Durandt and Colin Nathan have made similar claims.
Durandt has even refused to hand over the IBO belt Vetyeka won when he beat Yordan until he repays him the money which the fighter has denied.
But Sidinile said he was not prepared to entertain such claims “because all I am focusing on is this one by Ndou”.
Sidinile was confident that the fight will go ahead as planned on Friday and that Vetyeka was already on weight.
Vetyeka fight in balance
This is in the wake of a threat of an interdict by SA-born, Australian former IBF junior-welterweight champion Lovemore Ndou who claims that he has a valid contract with Vetyeka.
Ndou, a lawyer by profession said that Vetyeka’s fight with John was concluded without his knowledge despite signing a two-year management contract with Vetyeka in 2011.
Ndou claims the contract contained a clause stipulating that should Vetyeka become a champion the pact would extend by two years.
Vetyeka became IBO world champion when he beat another Indonesian Daud Yordan by a 12th-round stoppage in Jakarta in April.
Ndou is demanding a $20000 (about R204000) in compensation from Dragonfire Promotions which will stage the fight to be paid by 2pm yesterday failing which he will block the fight.
Vetyeka denies signing the contract although he admits that Ndou did send him the papers.
“I never signed those papers so he is lying if he says I am contracted to him,” the fighter said.
Now already in Australia, the SA camp is on tenterhooks waiting to see if Ndou will carry out the threat.
Speaking from Australia, Vetyeka’s promoter-manager Andile Sidinile said one of the fight organisers has hired renowned SA boxing lawyer Phillip Silver to represent them in the matter.
“ who we have been dealing since arriving here told us that Ndou has no case and that we should not be worried,” said Sidinile.
“Remember this guy was also involved in Vetyeka’s fight against Yordan, so he knows what he is talking about here.”
Ndou has claimed that he even gave Vetyeka cash to settle personal problems including paying rent.
Sidinile, who promoted one of Vetyeka’s fights when he beat Sibusiso Khumalo by a fourth round knockout in Mdantsane last December, wanted Ndou to explain why he never raised the issue of the contract before the fight.
Asked if he had a chance to speak to Ndou in Australia, Sidinile said the lawyers have advised him not to.
“I want him to produce this signed contract but so far nothing has been forwarded to us except his demands of compensation which will not happen.”
Vetyeka is not new to such controversy with several other former managers claiming he took money from them then left to join other stables.
Promoters such as Branco Milenkovic and Rodney Berman and managers Nick Durandt and Colin Nathan have made similar claims.
Durandt has even refused to hand over the IBO belt Vetyeka won when he beat Yordan until he repays him the money which the fighter has denied.
But Sidinile said he was not prepared to entertain such claims “because all I am focusing on is this one by Ndou”.
Sidinile was confident that the fight will go ahead as planned on Friday and that Vetyeka was already on weight.
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