Being the best doesn’t always guarantee good fortune.
Despite being the reigning SA Boxer of the Year, Xolisani Ndongeni has claim to another crown – South Africa’s unluckiest fighter.
He’s had one promoter run out on him and yet another baulk at paying him his R1-million purse fee. As if that wasn’t bad enough, yesterday his fight against Razak Nettey was called off without a punch thrown in anger.
This is because promoter Mzoli Tempe never lodged his deposit with Boxing South Africa, who then nixed the Stellenbosch tournament on account of the breach. Quite why it took them until the 1th hour to do so when there is a 14-day rule remains one of those uniquely South African mysteries.
Ndongeni was the card topper and there was much anticipation surrounding his fight given that it was his first venture into the Western Cape.
[perfectpullquote align=”right” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]‘I’m gutted, just devastated’ – Colin Nathan[/perfectpullquote]“I’m gutted, just devastated,” said trainer Colin Nathan. “Nomeva has been treated so badly. He’s world-rated and we want to push him. It’s a sad day for local boxing. I’m ashamed to be part of this. It’s a black eye for our boxing. BSA has to do something. This rubbish keeps on happening. And it’s not just Nomeva – what about all the other young boxers on the bill, guys fighting just to put food on the table?”
Nathan says Ndongeni remains tentatively poised with a ranking in three of the organisations. He’s at the point where he’ll take anything – even an eight-rounder – to avoid his boxer dropping down the rankings through inactivity.
“All I know is I’ll never work with that promoter again.”
Meanwhile, promoter Rodney Berman was also livid with the state of affairs, not least how rules seem to be selectively applied.
He’s working hard to get Ndongeni another outing in the US, although this depends on an opening in the calendar and US fight dates.
