East London boxing trainers Khangelani Jack and Siviwe Mqakamba have smoked the peace pipe after their altercation which led to Mqakamba being hospitalised following a bout involving their boxers a fortnight ago.
The trainers from Nxarhuni near Mdantsane were embroiled in fisticuffs in the Orient Theatre parking lot, leaving Mqakamba bleeding from the mouth after Jack punched him in protest against his boxer Siphosethu Matyholweni’s loss to Mqakamba’s charge, Yomeleze Silulu, in their flyweight bout in a KayB Promotions event.
Mqakamba, who fell heavily after being punched, bounced off the Daily Dispatch vehicle and several top East London trainers tried to restrain Jack, laid assault charges with the police, who confirmed the incident.
Jack, a Boxing SA trainer of the year winner, denied that he had assaulted Mqakamba because of being dissatisfied with his boxer’s loss, attributing the row to a long-standing beef.
Mqakamba claimed Jack, whom he worked with at the Newlands Boxing Academy in Nxarhuni, had vowed to prove his training superiority by leading Matyholweni to a brutal beating of Silulu.
However, this did not happen and Silulu won the bout despite making his professional debut, leaving Jack to vent his anger at Mqakamba.
Mqakamba denied that the altercation had been related to the beef, though he alleged Jack had stolen boxers from the Newlands Boxing Academy when he left to open the Paradise Boxing Club.
Jack later apologised for the assault, admitting his anger had got the better of him.
After interventions by prominent boxing stakeholders, Mqakamba confirmed he had decided to accept the apology and withdrew the police case.
“Several people arranged for us to speak telephonically to bury the hatchet and I decided to let bygones be bygones,” he said.
“We have reconciled but we have not met in person.”
Jack, who trains boxers in Johannesburg, said he was delighted the matter was now settled as he had spent sleepless nights trying to reach out to Mqakamba.
“I will never be proud of what I did and I even went on national radio to express my regret,” he said.
“I should have known better than to conduct myself in that manner and I am grateful to Ta Svig (Mqakamba) for forgiving me.”
Jack said he would arrange to meet Mqakamba in person after returning to East London this week to further reconcile.
“I only got back from Johannesburg this week, so we will arrange to meet even though we have been speaking over the phone.”
Luyanda Kana, whose Sakhisizwe Boxing Club was the training home for the two trainers when they were boxers, expressed delight about the reconciliation.
“We all tried to resolve the row, but it was hard as Jack was in Johannesburg,” he said.
“I am glad they have forgiven each other because boxing does not need this and boxers could be affected.”
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