Women's boxing gets a boost in Port Alfred

Larenan Promotions has decided to do something about the dwindling state of women’s boxing in the province by featuring female amateur bouts in their Saturday tournament at Titi Jonas Community Hall in Port Alfred.

There were calls for Boxing SA to beef up the pool of women boxers after two of the six government-funded shows could not feature women’s bouts, as stipulated in the development programme deal between the regulatory body and the provincial sport, recreation, arts and culture department.

The Pepzin Promotions tournament in Komani and Last Born Promotions show in Peddie did not have women’s bouts, raising concerns that authorities should attend to the problem while the condition is revisited, owing to a shallow pool of women boxers.

Award-winning matchmaker Luyanda Kana lamented the struggle to find women boxers, citing a lack of commitment contrary to the past during the era of Noni Tenge, Unathi Myekeni, the late Leaghandre Jegels and others.

Kana suggested that BSA should target the sparring sessions currently underway to graduate as many women amateur boxers as possible to beef up their pool.

However, to take the first step to try to address the challenge, Larenan boss Chris Nomtoto has arranged two amateur bouts involving women boxers to open the tournament.

“We have included three amateur bouts, preliminary bouts, to help give women exposure to showcase their talent,” he said.

“We would have included more, but some are involved in various championships.”

The tournament will also feature a professional female bout when Mdantsane’s Namhla Mankayi faces off against Asiphile Mbuti from KwaKuni village in a mini-flyweight clash.

The show will be topped up by the provincial featherweight title clash between East London boxers Siphenathi Nobanda and Avuyile Mphikwa to fill the void left by former title holder Bongani Fule.

Dubbed “Lift the Youth to the Stars” in reference to the young boxers who will do battle, the event will also see a tantalising clash between old trail horse Phumlani Maloni against unbeaten rising star Siventahi July in a mini-flyweight scrap.

Maloni from Makhanda will be making a ring return since dropping a gutsy points decision to world-rated Nhlanhla Tyirha in April.

While he has often been on the wrong end of firefight decisions, Maloni proved against Tyirha that he was still a force to be reckoned with despite his journeyman fight record of nine losses with just seven wins.

July, who has three wins in as many bouts, hails from Siyabulela Makala’s champion-churning Modern Boxing Club in KwaNojoli, with his last bout being in November when he needed one round to dismantle Yongama Damoyi at East London’s Guild Theatre.