The Nelson Mandela Bay municipality is on a drive to revive boxing in the metro, with mayor Mongameli Bobani’s office shelling out millions of rands over the past week to host local and international fights.
After paying about R2m towards two boxing events in New Brighton and Uitenhage last weekend, the metro is considering a request for R3m to support an international tournament taking place on Sunday.
The event will see South African boxers and a Mexican battling it out at the Nangoza Jebe Hall in New Brighton.
In the main bout, Azinga Fuzile will defend his IBF intercontinental junior lightweight crown against Mexican Romulo Koasicha.
The tournament is being held to celebrate Mzukisi “Laciar” Sikali’s life.
He was a former three-time world champion Bay boxer who was murdered for his cellphone 14 years ago.
The event is being promoted by East London firm Rumble Africa Boxing Promotions, owned by ANC Amathole regional secretary Teris Ntutu.
The news comes as the city announced this week that it would prioritise sports, arts and culture in the budget process, saying a survey revealed residents wanted more sporting facilities and events.
By Thursday afternoon, the metro had not yet approved the R3m request by Ntutu’s company, but he was confident it would come through.
He said the tournament was being hosted by the Eastern Cape Parks and Tourism Board, the municipality and his firm.
“We identified PE as one of the areas where we want to promote and grow boxing.
“So we approached ECPTA and NMBM to say we are hosting this tournament.
“It will be live on television, not only in South Africa, but in the entire SADC region.
“We told them it would be an opportunity for you to sell your city.”
He said advertisements would be played between rounds, which would further promote the city and region.
“Yes the partnership has been approved in principle, but there is nothing in writing.
“I do not have a total as to what extent the municipality will partner with us,” he said.
“We [Rumble Africa] spent close to R200,000 in travelling costs to bring the Mexicans here.
“They arrived on Monday and I booked accommodation for them, as well as flights for fighters from Johannesburg.
“We have also paid sanctioning fees up front, which costs around R100,000.
“We have to pay officials who will be part of the tournament, as they will not only come from South Africa, but from all corners of the world.
“So we have already committed, from our own bank account, close to R730,000.”
Asked what the municipal money would be used for should it be approved, he said: “The monies will go towards adding to the fighters’ purses, as well as paying their managers.”The city’s executive director of sports, recreation, arts and culture, Noxolo Nqwazi, said the municipality had provided R1.5m for one of the boxing events last weekend and about R500,000 for the second one.This money, she said, was paid through Bobani’s discretionary fund as her department did not have enough funds.All the paperwork on the request for the R3m had been sent to Bobani’s office, but she was still waiting for feedback.Bobani, who was tied up in a council meeting most of Thursday, said he would provide feedback on Friday.Mayoral committee member in charge of infrastructure and engineering Andile Lungisa said at a joint mayoral and budget and treasury meeting on Wednesday that the metro would support the boxing match and that it was “hosting the Mexicans” this weekend.The municipality said this week that the metro would suffer major reputational risks as a host destination for major sport events if it did not assist the event financially.“[The risks would be] reluctance from international boxers/organisers to fight in South Africa, and NMBM in particular,” municipal spokesperson Mthubanzi Mniki said.“[It would mean] lost opportunity to host future boxing title fights and other international sporting events.“The loss of international events of this magnitude is way more than that money that we will possibly invest.”Acting city manager Peter Neilson said the city’s political bosses wanted to change the socioeconomic conditions and fight crime in disadvantaged areas through sport.He said they also wanted to revive boxing in the Bay as a region that was once famous for producing top boxers.Eastern Cape boxer Azinga Fuzile is confident he can overcome his opponent when he faces off against Mexican fighter Romulo Koasicha in New Brighton on Sunday.Fuzile, who is based in Johannesburg, but is originally from Duncan Village in the Eastern Cape, said he was ready for the bout, which will see him clash with Koasicha for the IBF Intercontinental Junior Lightweight title at the Nangoza Jebe Hall in New Brighton.The fight, which will be broadcast live on SuperSport, will be the headline attraction of the Rumble Africa Promotions International Boxing tournament.Three other title fights are taking place on a card that boasts a total of eight bouts.With both fighters having to weigh above 58kg at the premedical weigh-in, both managed to make weight, with Fuzile coming in at 60.4kg, while Koasicha tipped the scales at 60.5kg.Fuzile, 22, said he was ready to do battle and was adamant that he would come out on the right side of the result.“I don’t know too much about him, I have watched one or two of his fights, but I think I am ready for him,” Fuzile said.“He is a fighter who enjoys being on the offensive – he puts a lot of pressure on his opponents, can be dangerous on the counterattack and he has a dangerous left hook, but I think I am ready for whatever he brings to the ring on Sunday, ” he said.Fuzile said an important part of his strategy would be to get a good start in the first two rounds, because these usually determined the direction of a fight.“It is very important for me to start well. After that I can then figure out what his weak points are as well as his strong points,” he said.Koasicha, 27, who is visiting SA for the first time, said he had prepared hard for this fight.“I know this fighter is very good, but we have prepared very well for him.“We want to fight all rounds, we want to fight hard, we will try to be attacking.“I know this fight is going to be very hard, but I am sure I can win this fight,” he said.He thanked the people of his home state of San Luis Potosi, Mexico, for their support.“The people in Mexico are really getting behind me for this fight, and they want to see me return with the belt,” Koasicha said.The official weigh-in will take place at noon on Saturday at the Summerstrand Hotel on Marine Drive.