Boxing SA has stepped in to save two boxers from themselves by suspending them from fighting until they had submitted new medical test results.
The boxers are former SA junior flyweight champion and current WBF Africa champion Mfundo Gwayana and Makazole Tete who is also a former national champion.
The pair, who ironically fought to a draw three years ago, are under the spotlight owing to the brutal stoppage losses they suffered in their last bouts.
Tete was knocked out in round one by unheralded Filipino Jonas Sultan in his crucial IBF International junior bantamweight title clash at Mdantsane Indoor on December 16.
The loss was the first for Tete by a stoppage and his second overall in 19 fights.
Sultan had been shipped to provide Tete with a win as his handlers steered him towards a fully fledged world title challenge by July.
Now his management is contemplating moving up a division.
Gwayana, an old trial-horse, was brutally knocked out by Thembelani Nxoshe in a clash for the vacant SA flyweight crown in September 30.
The fight was a rematch of their previous bout which was won by Gwayana on points.
BSA-Eastern Cape manager Phakamile Jacobs confirmed that the regulatory body has disapproved the boxers from fighting until they submit medical certificate comprising of neurological test results such as brain scan.
Despite the brutal loss, Gwayana was billed to face Sibusiso Twani on February 12 at Mdantsane Indoor Centre.
But Jacobs has moved swiftly to disqualify the Mdantsane southpaw demanding him to have a cooling off period after which he would be required to undergo a medical examination.
“We could not allow Gwayana to come back so soon after the punishment he took from the Nxoshe fight,” Jacobs said.
“We have told him to cool off for a while before he could come back but even then he will be required to undergo a medical examination.”
Jacobs said the decision was taken to curb ring fatalities which skyrocketed in the last few years.
“It is important that as a body we save boxers from themselves because they will never know when they are putting their health at risk.”
Ironically, Gwayana was at the centre of one of the region’s fatalities when Samora Msophi died after their SA junior flyweight title clash in 2008.
Msophi took horrific punishment from the fight and was rushed to hospital where he died from head injuries suffered from the bout.
While Jacobs denied that Tete has also been suspended for a similar incident, he however admitted that he did not take such a prolonged punishment as his fight with Sultan was stopped early.
“We had one of our competent referees in Lulama Mtya who quickly stopped the fight on realising that Makazole was hurt,” he said.
“As such we will only demand a medical certificate from him if he wants to continue with his boxing career.”
While ring fatalities are prevalent around the world, Jacobs said it was important for the regulatory body to tighten the screws on boxers who want to fight beyond their prime.
There is a belief that most ring tragedies are influenced by injuries incurred by boxers in sparring sessions in which boxers engage in their clubs.
Jacobs said it would be impossible for BSA to monitor sparring sessions taking place in gymnasiums.
BSA suspends two top EC pugilists
The boxers are former SA junior flyweight champion and current WBF Africa champion Mfundo Gwayana and Makazole Tete who is also a former national champion.
The pair, who ironically fought to a draw three years ago, are under the spotlight owing to the brutal stoppage losses they suffered in their last bouts.
Tete was knocked out in round one by unheralded Filipino Jonas Sultan in his crucial IBF International junior bantamweight title clash at Mdantsane Indoor on December 16.
The loss was the first for Tete by a stoppage and his second overall in 19 fights.
Sultan had been shipped to provide Tete with a win as his handlers steered him towards a fully fledged world title challenge by July.
Now his management is contemplating moving up a division.
Gwayana, an old trial-horse, was brutally knocked out by Thembelani Nxoshe in a clash for the vacant SA flyweight crown in September 30.
The fight was a rematch of their previous bout which was won by Gwayana on points.
BSA-Eastern Cape manager Phakamile Jacobs confirmed that the regulatory body has disapproved the boxers from fighting until they submit medical certificate comprising of neurological test results such as brain scan.
Despite the brutal loss, Gwayana was billed to face Sibusiso Twani on February 12 at Mdantsane Indoor Centre.
But Jacobs has moved swiftly to disqualify the Mdantsane southpaw demanding him to have a cooling off period after which he would be required to undergo a medical examination.
“We could not allow Gwayana to come back so soon after the punishment he took from the Nxoshe fight,” Jacobs said.
“We have told him to cool off for a while before he could come back but even then he will be required to undergo a medical examination.”
Jacobs said the decision was taken to curb ring fatalities which skyrocketed in the last few years.
“It is important that as a body we save boxers from themselves because they will never know when they are putting their health at risk.”
Ironically, Gwayana was at the centre of one of the region’s fatalities when Samora Msophi died after their SA junior flyweight title clash in 2008.
Msophi took horrific punishment from the fight and was rushed to hospital where he died from head injuries suffered from the bout.
While Jacobs denied that Tete has also been suspended for a similar incident, he however admitted that he did not take such a prolonged punishment as his fight with Sultan was stopped early.
“We had one of our competent referees in Lulama Mtya who quickly stopped the fight on realising that Makazole was hurt,” he said.
“As such we will only demand a medical certificate from him if he wants to continue with his boxing career.”
While ring fatalities are prevalent around the world, Jacobs said it was important for the regulatory body to tighten the screws on boxers who want to fight beyond their prime.
There is a belief that most ring tragedies are influenced by injuries incurred by boxers in sparring sessions in which boxers engage in their clubs.
Jacobs said it would be impossible for BSA to monitor sparring sessions taking place in gymnasiums.
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