Mdantsane veteran Ali “Rush Hour” Funeka has defied Boxing SA by leaving the country to fight in Russia without a clearance.
And now the regulatory body has vowed to block his fight on Saturday by communicating with the Russian Boxing Federation and the promoters of the fight.
This is the latest instalment in the drawn out saga between the 40-year-old former two-time world champion and boxing authorities..
Funeka had applied for a clearance last week to fight Armenian-born Russian Gor Yeritsyan at Galaktika Culture Centre, Estosadok.
However this was turned down on the basis that he needed to submit more supporting documents for medical requirements.
BSA boss Sindy Nkomo said Funeka did not submit the application 21 days in advance as a requirement.
But Funeka’s camp argued that part of the reason for the rejection by BSA was due to the body’s insistence to do MRI scan even though the Russians did not demand one.
An insider in Funeka’s camp said the boxer would leave for Russia even if he was not issued with a clearance. And true to that, Funeka left on Tuesday.
Nkomo confirmed that she knew that Funeka defied BSA by leaving without a clearance.“We were aware of what was happening but obviously we would not go to OR Tambo Airport and stop his flight there,” she said.
“But I can tell you that this is not over. We will still try to block him to fight by communicating with the boxing federation of Russia and the organisers of the fight.”
Should that fail to stop the fight, Nkomo said Funeka will be hauled to a disciplinary committee where he will likely get suspended.
Nkomo admitted that the conduct of Funeka was worrisome and it set a bad precedent on BSA as a regulatory body.
“If we let this go we will be sending a wrong precedent to others. We really need to deal with this in a fitting manner.”
Funeka, who challenged for world lightweight title twice before finally winning the IBO and WBF welterweight titles, is not new to a show of defiance. He failed a dope test in Canada after losing an IBF world lightweight title rematch against Joan Guzman when the Dominican Republican boxer came in overweight for their fight.
Funeka was slapped with a fine but he never paid it.
When he returned to Canada to face that country’s boxer Samuel Vargas in August last year he was docked the fine from his purse setting him on a collision course with his then promoter Xaba Promotions who arranged the Vargas fight.
Nkomo said there had been reports that Funeka had also previously sneaked out of the country to fight without a clearance before she came to BSA.
“Obviously these will come up during our investigation but for now we are focusing on this case and we will need to take drastic action.”..