Sidinile gets big step up in IBO

Veteran boxing commissioner Len Hunt is denying that he has been fired by the IBO for allowing a tournament in East London to go ahead without purse-monies.

This after prominent East London promoter Andile Sidinile confirmed that he has been appointed as the commissioner by IBO president Ed Levine.

“I can confirm that as we speak I am officially a fight commissioner for the IBO,” said Sidinile.

Asked if he has replaced Hunt, Sidinile said he would prefer not to comment about that “because I do not know what happened between Len and Levine”.

Hunt was the IBO commissioner at Mamali Promotions show on March 22 at Mdantsane Indoor Centre when Filipino Rey Loreto knocked out Nkosinathi Joyi in one round in a rematch of their IBO junior-flyweight title.

There were three other bouts which has since exploded into controversy after all the boxers were not paid their purse-monies.

Hunt was down in East London a fortnight ago supervising IBO sanctioned bouts including the IBO Intercontinental junior-lightweight title clash between Xolani Mcotheli of Duncan Village  and Johannesburg’s Malcolm Klassen.

The tournament also featured Makazole Tete fighting Filipino Renx Rosia for the IBO Intercontinental flyweight belt as well as Macbute Sinyabi tangling with  Filipino Randy Braga for the IBO international featherweight crown.

However, Hunt denied that he was  fired by the IBO for the Mamali Promotions debacle although he confirmed knowledge of the appointment of Sidinile.

“No I will still do my job but at a minimal rate because of my ill-health,” he said.

Hunt revealed that he was suffering from a hernia after he fell during a tournament in East London in September last year.

“Since then I have had four operations to no avail. I am even seeing a specialist as we speak,” he explained.

Hunt is former referee but his job as a fight commissioner has been under  the microscope for a while and the non-payment of boxers in Mamali Promotions tournament seems to have been the last straw.

Mamali Promotions boss Siphatho Handi has since been suspended by the IBO after Loreto’s manager Emmanuel Pinol appealed to the world body to take action against all those involved including Hunt for backing Handi that the money would be available a few days later.

Handi is also on the verge of being suspended by Boxing SA who has been caught up in the saga for allowing the tournament to go ahead without purse-monies being deposited in advance.

The IBO has since been reported to have taken action against Hunt by replacing him with   Sidinile as a fight commissioner.

There has been complaints about Hunt that at 76 years old he is not as sharp as he should be.

This after he was embroiled in a dispute with promoter Ayanda Matiti over the punitive measures to be taken against Klassen for being overweight in his clash against Mcotheli.

Hunt could not give a clear guideline about how Klassen should be punished forcing Matiti to appeal to Levine.