Bob and weave at Selborne

This has forced Sijuta Promotions to move its November 28 boxing extravaganza to the Selborne Tennis Court whose capacity more than triples that of Orient Theatre.

The tournament will see the return of Mdantsane-relocated Duncan Village boxer Simpiwe Vetyeka taking on Colombian Rudolfo Puente in a world featherweight title eliminator.

Crowd favourite Xolisani “Nomeva” Ndongeni will engage in his first world title fight when he takes on Mexican Juan Pablo Sanchez for the vacant IBO lightweight crown.

There will also be appearances of Siyabonga Siyo and Mzuvukile Magwaca against foreign opposition.

The magnitude of the fight has cowed Sidinile from risking a potential stampede by cramming it into Orient Theatre where his show last month was a near disaster when several spectators forced their way inside.

Branding tickets, the spectators demanded to be admitted until organisers closed the ticket selling spot, turning away scores of people.

While the magnitude of this tournament is smaller than last month’s which featured the return of three top local boxers Zolani Tete, Nkosinathi Joyi and Ndongeni, Sidinile does not want to take chances.

“Had a tragedy happened there my name would have been all over the places for all the wrong reasons,” he said.

Sidinile reiterated the calls for the region to speedily sort out the absence of an adequate venue especially for popular sports such as boxing.

His call follows that of provincial department of sport, recreation, arts and culture MEC Pemmy Majodina who publicly appealed to billionaire mining magnate Patrice Motsepe to fund the construction of a major sporting venue in the region.

Majodina made the call when Motsepe was in Mdantsane to hand over funds for the buying of a prosthetic leg for the mother of Tete brothers Makazole and Zolani Nomonde.

Motsepe appeared to misinterpret the request as he instead donated R1-million towards the welfare of boxers.

While the Selborne Tennis Court will accommodate about 6000 compared to the Orient Theatre which accommodates 1500, there are logistic concerns especially as the venue is in the heart of a residential area.

And the absence of proper seating as well as the venue being an open space may pose a challenge.

But Sidinile argued the venue would be revamped with a cover on standby should it rain.

“Remember this will not be the first time boxing is held there,” he said.

The venued hosted the epic SA flyweight title clash between Zolile Mbityi and Toto Makorotlo in 1993.

However, so much has changed since then with promoters opting to return to the inadequate Orient Theatre while some risk the exorbitant fee of the East London International Convention Centre.