Home girl promoter Mbali Zantsi packs punch with all-women bout
Home girl boxing promoter Mbali Zantsi of Zantsi Showtime Production is back home and packing a knockout punch after spending 19 years working in Johannesburg.
With her return, Zantsi has lined up an all-women bout for boxing enthusiasts around Nelson Mandela Bay.
The black-tie event scheduled for March 23 will take place at Nangoza Jebe.
Doors open from 6pm until late.
The 2004 Gsport Woman of the Year award winner said after being away from home for so long, it was now time to plough back, but most importantly revive boxing in PE, a city that once shone internationally through boxers like Vuyani Nene and the late Mzukisi Sikali.
“I am born and bred in PE but I have been promoting boxing all around the country.
“This last year I decided to come back home to plough back, revive the boxing and rekindle the people’s interest in boxing at large.
“The plan is to start from the grassroots level up to professional boxers. The tournament is a professional event.
“The intention is to have all girls and boys from PE fighting.”
The main bout will be the WBF featherweight title defence between Unathi Myekeni of Johannesburg and PE golden girl Nozipho Bell.
Bell will be challenging Myekeni, who is the current WBF titleholder, for her belt.
The Boxing South Africalicensed promoter said her aim was to try to capture the talent, get the children in the ring and brand them.
She said Nelson Mandela Bay was once booming with boxing talent but boxers left the city in search of greener pastures and action elsewhere.
“Boxers would either be in East London or Johannesburg because there is more action happening in those areas.
“This meant NMB would not receive the glory that it deserved because the boxer would be captured as an EL or Johannesburg boxer.
“Now we are going to work with these boxers of Nelson Mandela municipality.
“We are going to groom them and have more action for them so that they don’t have ring rust and are able to fight when they are called to fight outside of NMB.
“Also we need to establish gyms that have all the necessary equipment.
“So that is my duty here, that is why I came back home to make sure I plant that seed.
“In that way even other promoters will have a chance of promoting events, managers will be busy and the boxing referees will have work to do.
“We have boxing officials here but those people don’t have work because there is no boxing , yet you pay for your licence and your renew it every year. The same goes for boxer, manager and trainer etc.
“If you don’t find work in boxing tournaments, you don’t get paid.”
The former WBF boxing promoter of the year said there was no way she could take up this task alone and she would be working with other avid boxing lovers.
She said the municipality had been very supportive so far.
“Fortunately for me I came back at the right time when the municipality is trying to revive boxing in PE. What I am trying to do is in line with the city’s plans.”
Growing up in a family of devoted boxing supporters had rubbed off on her, Zantsi said.
“I started off as a ring girl and I got excited about all the action. While studying in Cape Town I met some of the renowned promoters in the country.
“In my time working with them I identified problems that were in boxing, in their camp.”
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