Police are investigating assault charges against boxing trainer Khangelani Jack following an altercation with fellow trainer Siviwe Mqakamba after their boxers’ bout at East London’s Orient Theatre last Saturday.
Jack, a Boxing SA Trainer of the Year award winner, is accused of attacking Mqakamba after his boxer, Siphosethu Matyholweni, lost to Mqakamba’s charge, Yomeleze Silulu, in their flyweight bout in the KayB Promotions show.
The bout opened the tournament, which featured music performances and comedian Skhumba.
Mqakamba said he already had a beef with Jack after one of his boxers decamped to his side. So Jack promised to prove his training superiority by leading Matyholweni to a brutal win.
At the start, Matyholweni appeared to be winning the match, only for Silulu, in his professional debut, to come back and dominate the last round, claiming a narrow victory.
Jack protested the outcome and vented his anger at Mqakamba by allegedly assaulting him in the car park (later that evening), leaving him bleeding from the mouth.
He was taken to Frere Hospital, where he was stitched before being discharged.
The Daily Dispatch witnessed the fight as Mqakamba bounced off the newspaper’s vehicle as he fell, while several boxing trainers rushed to his rescue.
Mqakamba claimed Jack had followed him to the parking lot, saying the fight had not ended in the ring.
“Before I could respond, he [allegedly] hit me, sending me to the ground, before he was restrained,” Mqakamba said.
Police spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Siphokazi Mawisa confirmed a case of common assault had been opened at the East London police station, but no arrest had been made as the investigation was continuing.
Jack, now based in Johannesburg, where he works as a boxing trainer, confirmed to the Dispatch by telephone, his altercation with Mqakamba, but denied it was because of his dissatisfaction with the fight results.
“It is a lie that I beat him because I was not happy with how my boxer lost,” he said.
“My other boxers have previously lost bouts they should have won and I never took my anger out on their trainers.
“Mqakamba knows the real reason for our fight.”
Jack apologised for the incident and said he had tried to contact Mqakamba to offer his apologies, but could not reach him.
“I even went to the hospital to apologise to him.
“I admit I should not have hit him regardless of what happened. But I was told he’d already been discharged.”
Mqakamba denied that previous arguments had played a role in the assault and accused Jack of being unable to take the loss of his boxer.
“He is going around making all sorts of excuses, even [allegedly] lying that he came to the hospital, yet I was told that he remained in his car outside while I was being treated.
“I hope the law takes its course and deals with him because, obviously, he is jealous of my success.”
Jack and Mqakamba previously worked together at Newlands Boxing Academy in Nxarhuni, near Mdantsane, before Jack left to form the Paradise Boxing Club, allegedly taking some of the boxers with him.
Mqakamba is a former professional boxer, having campaigned as a mini-flyweight with 14 bouts under the Sakhisizwe Boxing Club owned by Luyanda Kana and the late Mandlenkosi Jakavu.
The club is famous for letting prison inmate Mzukisi Roberts participate in a professional bout while serving a lengthy sentence.
Kana, who provided matchmaking for the weekend tournament and pitted Silulu against Matyholweni, said a meeting was being arranged to reconcile the two trainers.
“I spoke with Jack, but he is already in Johannesburg and he will be attending an event in Zimbabwe.
“After that he will come down so this matter can be resolved.”
Boxing SA-Eastern Cape manager Siya Vabaza-Booi confirmed the body was investigating the matter.
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