The management of East London boxer Asemahle Wellem distanced themselves from his defiance campaign of fighting in Tanzania without authorisation which led to his being stripped of the SA super-middleweight title last week.
The 23-year-old from the Chintsa area knocked out Nigerian Rasheed Idowu in eight rounds at Viwanja vya Posta in Dar-Es-Salaam at the weekend.
He took the fight after Boxing SA had already stripped him of the title for failing to heed the regulatory body’s threats.
It was the third time he had defiantly taken a bout in Tanzania, having done so since December when he lost to Frank Shagembe by a split decision.
BSA showed leniency when Wellem and two Eastern Cape boxers fought in Tanzania without clearance, demanding that they participate only in community-based programmes as a punishment.
But Wellem continued his defiance when he took another bout in Tanzania in May and knocked out local opponent Jacob Maganga in one round to worsen his strained relations with BSA.
After the latest fiasco, BSA had had enough and took stringent measures by suspending his licence and provisionally stripping him of the title.
“Following several repeated transgressions and violations of Boxing SA regulations of 2004, the board has resolved to place Asemahle Wellem on precautionary suspension effective from July 24 2025,” BSA said in a statement.
“Wellem’s licence is suspended pending the outcome of a formal disciplinary hearing and as a result the national title has been declared vacant.”
Boxing historian Andre De Vries said Wellem was the second SA boxer to be stripped of the national title for defiance after Joe Gumede was stripped of the bantamweight title for fighting in Australia without authorisation in 1972.
East London boxer Patrick Quka was stripped of the bantamweight belt for refusing to defend it in 1997.
Wellem’s manager, Siya Zingelwa, who was part of the December trip to Tanzania, distanced himself from the latest escapade, saying he had warned the boxer of the ramifications.
“I was part of the December trip and BSA suspended my licence for three months and ordered me to make a public apology, which I did,” he said.
Wellem reportedly signed with Tanzanian promotional powerhouse Mafia Promotions, which facilitated him being issued with a Tanzanian licence and provided him with a new technical team.
Zingelwa said he was not part of such an arrangement as he continued to mend his relationship with BSA and abide by its rules.
He admitted that he had a valid contract with the boxer, but would sit down with him and negotiate on whether it should be terminated.
“My contract with him expires in September, but I am willing to terminate it if that is what he wants and will continue with this Tanzanian crusade.”
Wellem has never defended the SA super-middleweight title since winning it with a third-round stoppage of Cowin Ray in October 2022.
With a dearth of challengers in the division, he continued to feast on opponents from other African countries, rendering his title reign obsolete.
There were mixed reactions to his stripping, with some arguing it was only a formality as the title had never benefited him in the first place, while others insisted he needed to mend his relationship with the SA boxing regulator in the event of a catastrophe in Tanzania.
“If he were to be involved in a ring tragedy in Tanzania, the finger would point to BSA, even though he is making a living there.
“He still needs his country’s boxing commission behind him,” one boxing insider said.
Several attempts to contact Wellem drew a blank.
Daily Dispatch
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