Boxing row black eye for SA

We will recoup the costs from him, says BSA’s new chair as trio flies home.

- Trevor Cramer

SA boxing has suffered a massive black eye when the new board of Boxing South Africa (BSA) had to intervene after a local promoter failed to pay two international boxers.

The board will be tasked as a matter of priority with reviewing their vetting process for prospective boxing promoters after the embarrassing saga came to a head late on Tuesday.

Two Tanzanian female boxers and their manager-cum-matchmaker had been holed up at the Tanzanian high commission in Pretoria for 10 days awaiting payment by a South African promoter- but they were finally on their way home last night.

The debacle was only resolved through the board's intervention, with a payment of the agreed $5 200 (over R95 000) in unpaid wages and return flight tickets.

The boxers, Jesca Mfinanga, 25, and Egine Kayange, 29, both featured in the Fantastic 2 Boxing Promotions" "History in the Making" tournament at the Kliprivierberg Recreation Centre in Kibler Park, south of Joburg, on 22 June.

They were due to return home the following day and were accompanied to SA by Tanzanian matchmaker Evarist Innocent.