De Vries returns to oversee national ratings as BSA announces committees

Andre de Vries is back as chair of the ratings committee for the boardless Boxing South Africa (BSA), the regulator said on Monday night.

Acting CEO Mandla Ntlanganiso, appointed as accounting authority by sport minister Zizi Kodwa last month to perform functions normally carried out by the executive, announced his ratings and sanctioning committees on Monday night.

The board appointed by Kodwa in December was interdicted by a group of promoters who said last week they believed the accounting authority, as defined by the Public Finance Management Act, could not replicate the functions of the board.

The board normally appoints the sanctioning and ratings committees, both of which are crucial for the sport to run.

The National Professional Boxing Promoters’ Association had threatened to challenge Kodwa's latest appointment in court.

De Vries had chaired the ratings committee until resigning after a fall out with the previous board over its decision to approve an unrated fighter for a South African title fight.

The man who also doubles as a boxing historian, statistician and official for the IBF, has a no-nonsense approach and doesn’t entertain the notion of including undeserving fighters in the rankings.

If fewer than 10 boxers deserve to be ranked in a division, then so be it.

He will head the committee that includes Xolile Dike, who has a risk management background, and former boxers Nika Khumalo and Silence Mabuza.

The sanctioning committee will be chaired by former fighter Irvin Buhlalu alongside Tinyiko Nkatingi of the department of basic education, local Ring magazine representative Droeks Malan and Siya Vabaza-Booi, a ring official.

The regulator said: “We believe and trust the appointment of the above boxing pundits will bring credibility, trust and integrity on the sanctioning and ratings functions at [BSA].”