BOXING official, Sithembiso “Mthembu” Kiti, informed PE Express recently that boxing in the townships is suffering because there are no training venues.
Kiti stated that many boxing clubs were faced by many challenges, but the venues were the biggest challenges. Kiti has been involved with boxing since 1963. He said that during those days, the standard of township boxing was very high.
He said that boxing fans came to halls in their droves.
He explains, “I watched the first professional boxing fight between Chris “Kid” Dlamini and Johannes Sithebe at Great Centenary Hall in their South African Bantam title in May 1974.
“The hall was full to capacity and these boxers knew what they were doing. The fight was highly contested with fans being kept on their feet.”
Kiti never stopped attending boxing events and is still involved with boxing administration.
He stated that his favourite boxers were Nkosana “Happy Boy” Mgxaji and Victor “Black Eagle” Tshabalala, but his mother’s favourite boxer was Israel “Spitfire” Khonkobe, who campaigned in the flyweight division.
He said that after 2000, he was elected as a boxing official. After the former world heavyweight champion, Evander Holyfield, came to Sisa Dukashe Stadium in 2002 to deliver boxing equipment, he thought that boxing would benefit.
“I kindly requested my ward councillor to develop a space next to my street into a boxing venue. I also asked the municipality sports desk.
“I supplied them with my presentation. The time goes on, but nothing has been done.
“The space is not being utilised and we do not have venues to train our boxers. Holyfield stated that he would be happy if the clubs could have venues where they could produce quality boxers. The halls that we used some time ago, were taken by the municipality who did not come up with any alternative venues.
“In 2005, I was part of the delegation to Department of Public Works, in Bhisho, to raise our concerns in connection with boxing academy planned to be formed in Uitenhage,” Kiti said.
Kiti said that the Department of Sport agreed with the formation of the boxing academy but that did not happen.
He concluded, “Our gyms are a disgrace and our boxing is suffering. Our clubs do not have financial muscle to sustain themselves.”
