Komanisi to hit big-time in the States

One man’s loss is another’s gain so goes the saying and in the case of two Mdantsane boxers that cannot be true enough.

This after IBO featherweight champion Lusanda Komanisi benefited from his homeboy Simpiwe Vetyeka’s strained relationship with promoter Andile Sidinile of Sijuta Promotions by signing up with US promoter Greg Cohen.

Komanisi’s manager Mla Tengimfene confirmed that his new recruit has officially joined Cohen Promotions.

“They sent us all the documents and after taking them to our legal team everything was agreed and signed,” said Tengimfene.

Komanisi, who had a brief spell under the tutelage of former Boxing SA boss Loyiso Mtya after leaving Nick Durandt, is now trained by Sean Smith in Johannesburg. However he had to fly down to EL to sort out his passport to pave the way for his US invasion as Cohen is already planning for his IBO title defence against an opponent yet to be named.

He has been given three months to defend his crown or risk getting stripped due to the long period elapsed since his last fight last October when he knocked out Filipino Roli Gasca in their rematch. The 26-year-old Komanisi who has lost just four times, knocking out all but two of his 19 victims, will be fighting abroad for the first time.

Tengimfene, who also manages Zolani Tete, said Komanisi could expect his boxing career to take off in a big way as he would be under the glare of the US audience in a talent-laden division of the featherweight. “It will be up to him to sell himself to US TV networks and I do not need to tell him that he is in one of the best divisions in boxing,” he said.

Cohen had previously been earmarked to sign Vetyeka but when the Mdantsane veteran delayed with the contract, Komanisi jumped at the opportunity.

Vetyeka is understood to be holding out for the money he is still owed by Sidinile from his April 22 tournament which is believed to have been allegedly organised under fraudulent circumstances. This after Sidinile allegedly forged a signature of a letter purported to be from provincial government.

Vetyeka headlined the tournament, held to celebrate the Fort Hare University centenary, beating tough Japanese Tyuyoshi Tameda on points. Since then Vetyeka has reportedly refused to commit to anything Sidinile has been proposing to him including penning a contract with Cohen demanding his payment first.

Cohen has been repeatedly sending correspondence to Vetyeka’s camp to sign the contract so that he could move ahead.

The US promoter was planning to use Vetyeka as a replacement of Abner Mares who withdrew from his WBA featherweight title challenge against Argentinean Jesus Cuellar that was scheduled as an undercard to the WBA welterweight title clash between Keith Thurman and Shawn Porter in US last week.

Mares withdrew due to an undisclosed injury and Cohen wanted a rescheduled fight against Cuellar to feature Vetyeka.

Sidinile refused to confirm or deny that Vetyeka had passed on the big opportunity. “We are still sorting something out with Vetyeka so I cannot comment further than that,” he said.