Limpopo keen to revive professional boxing

Although the province has, since the National Boxing Indaba held in 2013, not moved an inch towards implementing resolutions relating to professional boxing as suggested at the indaba it is nevertheless encouraging that it participates in the new Open Boxing League.
This was the opinion expressed by Sport, Arts and Culture MEC, Onicca Moloi during a media briefing held at Protea Hotel Ranch Resort last Tuesday
Moloi outlined that the indaba was held to address the death of boxing in the country as it was clear that the sport was losing momentum. She reminded attendees about some of the resolutions taken at the indaba such as that provinces were instructed to host boxing tournaments under the theme ‘Boxing is Back’ and ordered to adhere and align their programmes to the National Boxing Tournament and Sustainability Strategy.
The province has failed to host professional boxing tournaments for six years now but Moloi is convinced that this will be something of the past and pledged to support the sport financially.
The department partnered with the Limpopo Boxing Promoters Association which represents boxing at the professional level and the Limpopo Boxing Organisation which deals with boxing at a developmental level. It was learned that the two organisations have signed a memorandum of understanding which will guide them towards working together and Moloi stated that she supported the collaboration and efforts towards promoting the sport in the province.
“Professional boxing in our own province is dying, and unless we do something now, it will soon be totally gone. The Limpopo Government makes a full commitment to reviving professional boxing. We should all roll up our sleeves and invest our talents, money and energies towards achieving this noble goal,” said Moloi.
She further said they were not only focusing their energies towards the implementation of the indaba resolutions but rather committing to uplifting, empowering and promoting the participation of women in boxing. She added that rare and refined talent in Limpopo must be nurtured and supported.
According to Moloi, amateur boxing is growing at a pleasing rate hence measures must be put in place to recognise talented boxers to help develop interest in professional boxing. She emphasised that by supporting professional boxing they will be reducing poverty and contributing towards job creation and increasing quality of life by providing an alternative to social ills such as drug and alcohol abuse.
“August is Women’s Month and as a result we have decided to introduce the first women’s competition. The Limpopo Women Boxing Tournament National Title will be held on 25 August at the Ngoako Ramatlhodi Sports Complex. We will have seven bouts and women who will square off on the night are from Limpopo, Gauteng and the Eastern Cape and as far as Zimbabwe, Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda,” Moloi said.
The main bout of the night will be between the Junior Lightweight Champion Nosipho Bell from Eastern Cape and her challenger Raider Muleba from Limpopo.
Out of the 14 boxers, four are from Vhembe district. Moloi appealed to private companies to join forces with the department and boxing associations to promote the sport and make resources available for boxers.

Story and photo: ENDY SENYATSI
>>endy@observer.co.za