CONFUSION reigned before the start of the WBF world mini-flyweight title clash between Sibusiso Twani and Luyanda Nkwankwa when an illegal substance was removed from Twani’s hand wraps.
The fight was held at East London International Convention Centre on Friday and while the two boxers were being inspected in their dressing-rooms, Twani was found to have put tissue paper on his hand wraps. The illegal substance was discovered by WBF official Daryl Ribbink who went on to alert WBF president Howard Goldberg who was at ringside.
Goldberg confirmed that he was informed of the transgression and immediately ordered the substance to be removed.
The discovery raised alarms that Twani’s trainer Eugene Khanyile was up to his old tricks again.
Khanyile has just returned to boxing after a lengthy ban when he and his boxer Edward Mpofu were found to have used a hardened substance on the boxer’s hand wraps in his fight against Thanduxolo Gatyeni at East London’s Orient Theatre in November 2008.
The plaster of Paris combined with bandages formed a hardened substance giving Mpofu, a former SA featherweight champion, an unfair advantage when landing his punches.
After the fight, Gatyeni sported a nasty gash and while shaking Mpofu’s hand afterwards, Gatyeni’s promoter Mzi Mnguni discovered the illegal substance.
Mpofu fled the scene but was apprehended by police and the bandages were retrieved and used as evidence in a subsequent disciplinary hearing which banned him for life while Khanyile was handed a lengthy suspension.
Khanyile has just completed his suspension and Twani is his first high-profile boxer.
While the news of the discovery spread like wildfire at the venue, with Twani’s previous opponent Simpiwe Konkco stunned by the developments, the authorities said no action would be taken against the pair.
Boxing SA Eastern Cape manager Phakamile Jacobs said the fight was under the supervision of the World Boxing Federation and it would rest with them if action should be taken.
Goldberg dismissed any foul play in the incident, insisting that while the substance found could have given Twani an unfair advantage, that it was removed does not warrant punishment.
“We feel that Khanyile was not deliberately trying to cheat because he did not hide the substance. This was discovered via the routine inspection we do before our fights to eliminate any wrongdoing,” said Goldberg.
But the WBF’s decision not to investigate the matter further is contrary to what the WBA did when it discovered a hardened substance on the hand wraps of Mexican boxer Antonio Margarito before his title defence against Shane Mosley in Los Angeles, US in January 2009.
Margarito, who lost the fight via a ninth- round stoppage, and his trainer Javier Capetillo were subsequently handed a year’s suspension for the transgression.
All the victories Margarito had achieved were tainted as fans labelled him a cheat.
Goldberg argued that the incident was different from Margarito’s as Twani only used tissue paper.
“You must not forget that Twani’s camp actually asked the inspector if it was ok to use the substance,” he said.