SA boxing experienced mixed fortunes in 2024 with boardroom battles grabbing the spotlight while ring action delivered a perfect punch to return it to international recognition by closing the year with two major world titles.
Having started 2024 with no recognised champion of the four-belt era after East London boxer Sivenathi Nontshinga surrendered his IBF junior-flyweight title to unheralded Mexican Adrien Curiel in an upset second-round knockout loss in Monaco in November 2023, Nontshinga exacted revenge when he regained the crown with a 10th round stoppage of Curiel in February.
Nontshinga enjoyed an eight-month reign before he was joined by Kevin Lerena who was elevated to a full WBC bridgerweight champion when champion Lawrence Okolie vacated the title to move up to the heavyweight division.
While Lerena’s coronation was muted due to him becoming a world champion via an email rather than winning it in the ring, SA boxing celebrated two major world titles for the first time in a while.
But Nontshinga’s reign ended brutally in Japan when Masamichi Yabuki bludgeoned him to the canvas three times to seize the title in nine rounds in October.
Nontshinga’s stablemate and friend Phumelela Cafu stunningly avenged the loss two days later when he scored an upset win over Japan’s Kosei Tanaka to wrest the WBO junior-bantamweight title.
Cafu’s win was widely rated as one of the international upsets of the year as he dramatically introduced himself to the world stage in his first fight abroad.
The win, punctuated by Cafu scoring a knock-down in the fifth round, marked the second time Tanaka suffered a loss in his four-division run, underlining the remarkable achievement by the shy Duncan Village boxer.
“While I never doubted myself, when I achieved the victory I did not anticipate it would change my life like this,” Cafu said.
“I have always been a quiet person but to find myself being the centre of attention took me off my stride.”
Cafu is still basking in that glory, with no challenger officially announced, though multiple world champion and Nicaraguan legend Roman “Chocolatito” Gonzalez has been mooted.
While the country closed the year with two major world champions, it was not a happy ending in the boardroom as national boxing closed the year with a leadership crisis.
Sports minister Gayton McKenzie stunned all when he dissolved the board in August citing soaring legal fees from the court case by the National Professional Boxing Promoters Association against his predecessor, Zizi Kodwa, over the unprocedural appointment of the Boxing SA board in May.
Kodwa was embroiled in a court battle with the promoters since he announced the new structure in December 2023 on claims of failing to consult stakeholders as per the Boxing Act.
As the saga raged on, Kodwa disbanded the board, consulted and then reappointed it in May, but promoters still continued with the case.
Despite advertising and shortlisting the nominees, McKenzie is yet to announce the new board, leaving operational boxing matters at the helm of his seconded departmental official Tsholofelo Lejaka.
Lejaka, a former BSA CEO, has adopted a reconciliatory tone with the promoters to minimise the squabbles that had hogged the headlines.
While Cafu’s feat captured the spotlight, other SA boxers joined him as “world” champions by winning the lightly regarded IBO title.
Mdantsane’s Thulani Mbenge was one of them when he regained the welterweight trinket by beating Englishman Michael McKinson, also in October.
Mbenge’s win increased SA boxers holding IBO titles to four with veteran Jackson Chauke (flyweight) Ricardo Malajika (junior-bantamweight) and Mpumelelo Tshabalala (junior-flyweight) taking world title holders to six.
East London boxers again dominated the national scene by winning eight SA titles while the rest of the country shared the remaining nine.
They are Sikholwa Kuse (mini-flyweight), Siseko Teyisi (junior-flyweight), Duncan Village-Cape Town-based Lwando Mgabi (junior-bantamweight), Sada-born East London-based Landile Ngxeke (bantamweight), Siyabulela Hem (junior-featherweight), Zolisa Batyi (featherweight), Asanda Gingqi (junior-lightweight) and Asemahle Wellem (super-middleweight).
UPDATE: Sports minister Gayton McKenzie announced the new BSA board, appointing Ayanda Zamantungwa-Khumalo as chair to go with Mthokozisi Radebe, Sydney James, Vince Blennies, Rina Jude, Saudah Hamid and Siyakhula Simelane.
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