The bitter infighting over the promotional rights of the Featherweight Super Four (S4) final involving Duncan Village sensation Azinga Fuzile has forced promoter Rodney Berman to take it back to Johannesburg.
The highly-anticipated clash was to see Fuzile tackling Johannesburg-based Lerato Dlamini of Free State at Orient Theatre in East London on March 3.
Organising the fight in East London would have given Fuzile a massive home ground advantage and enhance his already favourite tag of winning the 60% of R500000 prize money.
Aware of the massive attendance the clash would have drawn in East London, Berman decided to cede its rights to two EL promotional outfits, Rumble Africa Promotion (RAP) and Last Born Promotion (LBP).
However, just after revealing to the Daily Dispatch that he would let the final be organised in East London, representatives of the two promotional outfits got embroiled in infighting.
LBP’s Mla Tengimfene was accused of forcing himself into Fuzile’s moment of glory when he had nothing to do with the boxer’s rise to stardom.
Tengimfene finally broke his silence by revealing that he had nothing to do with Berman’s decision to include him in the promotion of the fight.
But on learning of the escalating bickering, Berman decided to pull the plug on the fight and said he would instead organise it back in Johannesburg on June 23.
“I was disappointed with the East London boxing politics because I felt this fight was good for the area owing to Fuzile’s popularity down there,” he said.
Tengimfene later told the Dispatch he had decided to withdraw from the promotion of the fight after holding a meeting with RAP as differences intensified.
When Berman learnt of Tengimfene’s withdrawal he immediately took the decision to move the fight.
“When Mla told me that he was withdrawing from the promotion of the fight I had no option but to take back its promotional rights and move it back to Johannesburg,” he said.
RAP, which owns Fuzile’s promotional rights, confirmed that a meeting with Tengimfene was held where a decision to continue the S4 in Johannesburg where it was started, was taken.
Fuzile knocked out Tshifhiwa Munyai to book his spot in the final against Dlamini, who upset Mdantsane veteran Simpiwe Vetyeka in the same tournament last October.
Despite the differences, RAP boss Teris Ntutu insisted that there was no bad blood between RAP and LBP.
“We agreed that RAP and LBP will consider working together on other projects here at home.”
Regarding Fuzile’s lost opportunity of activity in March, Ntutu said the unbeaten left hander would be given an international fight in the month before the S4 final.
“We thank Rodney Berman for the offer to promote the S4.”
There have been concerns that out of the ring factors may derail Fuzile’s rise and make him follow on the footsteps of other talented Duncan Village boxers who never fulfilled their potential.
Big blow as EL loses S4 final
The highly-anticipated clash was to see Fuzile tackling Johannesburg-based Lerato Dlamini of Free State at Orient Theatre in East London on March 3.
Organising the fight in East London would have given Fuzile a massive home ground advantage and enhance his already favourite tag of winning the 60% of R500000 prize money.
Aware of the massive attendance the clash would have drawn in East London, Berman decided to cede its rights to two EL promotional outfits, Rumble Africa Promotion (RAP) and Last Born Promotion (LBP).
However, just after revealing to the Daily Dispatch that he would let the final be organised in East London, representatives of the two promotional outfits got embroiled in infighting.
LBP’s Mla Tengimfene was accused of forcing himself into Fuzile’s moment of glory when he had nothing to do with the boxer’s rise to stardom.
Tengimfene finally broke his silence by revealing that he had nothing to do with Berman’s decision to include him in the promotion of the fight.
But on learning of the escalating bickering, Berman decided to pull the plug on the fight and said he would instead organise it back in Johannesburg on June 23.
“I was disappointed with the East London boxing politics because I felt this fight was good for the area owing to Fuzile’s popularity down there,” he said.
Tengimfene later told the Dispatch he had decided to withdraw from the promotion of the fight after holding a meeting with RAP as differences intensified.
When Berman learnt of Tengimfene’s withdrawal he immediately took the decision to move the fight.
“When Mla told me that he was withdrawing from the promotion of the fight I had no option but to take back its promotional rights and move it back to Johannesburg,” he said.
RAP, which owns Fuzile’s promotional rights, confirmed that a meeting with Tengimfene was held where a decision to continue the S4 in Johannesburg where it was started, was taken.
Fuzile knocked out Tshifhiwa Munyai to book his spot in the final against Dlamini, who upset Mdantsane veteran Simpiwe Vetyeka in the same tournament last October.
Despite the differences, RAP boss Teris Ntutu insisted that there was no bad blood between RAP and LBP.
“We agreed that RAP and LBP will consider working together on other projects here at home.”
Regarding Fuzile’s lost opportunity of activity in March, Ntutu said the unbeaten left hander would be given an international fight in the month before the S4 final.
“We thank Rodney Berman for the offer to promote the S4.”
There have been concerns that out of the ring factors may derail Fuzile’s rise and make him follow on the footsteps of other talented Duncan Village boxers who never fulfilled their potential.
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