Western Cape boxing is enjoying a strong run, with local fighters increasingly making their presence felt at the national and international level after years of work to develop homegrown talent.
This is according to the Boxing South Africa provincial boxing manager, Mzoli Tempi, who says the province has made significant progress since 2020, when boxing stakeholders began addressing the lack of opportunities for local fighters on professional tournament cards.
“For years, local fight cards were dominated by foreign-licensed boxers. In many tournaments, homegrown fighters made up only around 33% of the bill,” Tempi said.
He said the situation made it difficult for local prospects to gain the ring time and experience needed to compete for major titles.
Although the Western Cape had produced boxing greats such as Bashew Sibaca, Nika Khumalo, Mzonke Fana and Derrick Whiteboy, the province struggled to produce several champions at the same time.
“When a reigning champion eventually lost his title, boxing fans in the Cape could wait three to five years before another champion emerged,” he said.
Buntu Gotywa
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