Coronavirus lands a knockout blow to boxing tournament

The coronavirus has dished out another black eye to the sport of boxing with the cancellation of a long-awaited tournament in East London on Sunday.

The high-powered tournament was to have been staged behind closed doors by Rumble Africa Promotions (RAP) at the Orient Theatre in the city and would have signalled a welcome return of the fight game to what has always been a traditional mecca of South African boxing.

But a significant resurgence of Covid-19 infections across the Eastern Cape and the Buffalo City Metropolitan area, as well as the closure of municipal and public facilities, forced the promoter’s hand.

Headlining the impressive card was trainer Colin Nathan’s popular junior lightweight Azinga “Golden Boy” Fuzile, who was scheduled to face the unbeaten Cape-Town-based prospect Lunga Stimela in a 10-rounder, with two national title fights and an additional 10-rounder also thrown into the mix.

In an undated letter from Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality sport development manager, Manelisi Lwana to Rumble Africa Promotions CEO Nomfesane Nyatela, the promoter was alerted that “booking of halls to the public are to be suspended with an (sic) immediate effect as these gatherings and events hosted, pose a risk to employees.”

The tournament was to proceed under strict Covid-19 protocols and all fighters and officials were due to enter the bio-secure environment on Thursday in line with an amended 72-hour (prior to the event) concession granted by Boxing South Africa.

“The decision by the municipality has affected our operations, however, we fully understand the rationale which puts the lives of our people first,” Nyatela said in a short statement released on Wednesday night.

“RA remains committed to a healthy boxing community of SA and therefore supports all efforts to ensure the safety of our people,” she added.

The promoter has undertaken to pay all boxers who were slated to participate in the tournament 10% of their agreed purses.

In the main supporting bout, Jackson Chauke was also scheduled to defend his national flyweight title against Luyanda Ntwanambi, with the WBC continental title also up for grabs, while unbeaten bantamweight kingpin Ronald Malindi was due to make the fourth defence of his SA title against Luzuko Siyo.

In another appetising 10-rounder, featherweight Lerato “Lights Out” Dlamini, who also hails from Nathan’s Hotbox Gym in Johannesburg, was to have taken on former SA bantamweight champion Toto Helebe.

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