Pro boxers warned not to take part in musangwe fights

Local boxing trainer-manager John “Smoking Joe” Nemakonde has warned professional boxers who participate in traditional fist-fighting tournaments (musangwe) as well as street fighting bouts to stop doing so with immediate effect. Nemakonde was responding to allegations that some of his boxers were spotted participating in musangwe tournaments.

Speaking to Limpopo Mirror on Sunday morning, Nemakonde said that for a professional boxer to participate in such tournaments was illegal. “It is very dangerous to participate in such tournaments as it is prohibited by Boxing South Africa (BSA). As far as I know, all professional boxers are insured by BSA. Who is going to pay if they get injured in such tournaments? They are not even allowed to engage themselves in street fights,” he said.

The visibly angry boxing trainer said such boxers were also in danger of contracting diseases, such as HIV/Aids, because no gloves or proper protection measures were in place at such tournaments. “They risk being suspended and even having their licenses revoked by the BSA. If it is true that some of my boxers are participating in such tournaments, heads are going to roll very soon. We have told them on several occasions that it is illegal to do so,” he said.

He added that in boxing tournaments, professional referees, medical practitioners, and boxing trainers who could stop the fight when one of the boxers was in danger of being seriously injured in the ring were on hand. “Doctors can advise the referee to stop the fight if a boxer is badly injured, and the trainer can throw in the towel if he realises that his boxer is in big trouble. But who is going to attend to the injured boxer in the musangwe tournament?” he asked.

Sport - Date: 23 February 2024

Victor Mukwevho

Victor Mukwevho Ne-vumbani joined the Mirror during it's inception in 1990. He joined the SABC newsroom in 1995, and was known by  listeners as "A u fhedzisela ari". He was a news editor for The Tembisan Newspaper from 2007 to 2015. He rejoined the Limpopo Mirror newspaper in June 2022 as a freelance journalist.

Email: [email protected]