The newly appointed provincial boxing manager, Mr Oupa Lubisi, has pledged to collaborate with all stakeholders in the boxing community to enhance the standard of the sport in Limpopo Province. Lubisi was appointed by Boxing South Africa (BSA) to spearhead the rejuvenation of boxing in the province.

In an interview with Limpopo Mirror on Monday morning, Lubisi expressed his concern over the abundance of talented boxers in Limpopo, juxtaposed with a worrying shortage of boxing equipment. The lack of boxing promoters and well-equipped gyms has forced many young boxers to leave the province in search of better opportunities elsewhere.

Former boxing world champions such as Phillip “Time Bomb” Ndou, Cassius “Hitman” Baloyi, and Isaac “The Angel” Hlatswayo all hailed from Limpopo but relocated to Gauteng because of the lack of facilities in their home province.

Lubisi shared that he had recently met with the new Limpopo MEC for Sports, Mr Jerry Maseko, to strategise on the development of boxing in the province. He emphasised that the problem does not stem from a shortage of trainers as many skilled trainers remain in Limpopo.

“Right now, there is a trainer named John Nemakonde who has over 20 professional boxers in his stable, yet his facility lacks even a boxing ring. He has produced a former female national champion, Raider Muleba, while training without proper equipment like boxing gloves. With the right facilities, such trainers can produce champions and must be supported,” Lubisi said.

Lubisi is already addressing the issue of the scarcity of boxing promoters in Limpopo. “I’ve learned that there are only two boxing promoters in the province, but I have a plan to change that, providing boxers with more opportunities to fight and support their families,” he stated.

He added that he had arranged for each district in Limpopo to host at least one professional boxing tournament per year.