South Africa's top amateur boxer turned professional yesterday, but the SA Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (Sascoc) are far from charmed. They allege Tulani Mbenge accepted funds earmarked to hone talented stars for the Olympics even though he intended to join the paid ranks - and they want their money back.By turning pro he has severed ties with the body that governs Olympic boxing and that means he is no longer eligible for Rio 2016.Mbenge, who lifted the country's first Commonwealth Games boxing medal in eight years when he claimed a welterweight bronze at Glasgow 2014, denies the charge.He was the only SA pugilist to feature in the Durban 2022 promotional video that was played at the city's bid presentation in London on Monday.Contract not renewedMbenge said he had claimed no money from Sascoc's Operation Excellence (OpEx) programme since the Games and added he had even declined to renew his contract with Sascoc in September because he knew he was turning professional.But Sascoc disputed this in a written response to Sunday Times questions."He was paid his September claim. He also submitted his transport and gym receipts for October and November."He was also paid the December advance which was paid to all athletes before Sascoc offices closed to ensure athletes have their grants for December."Sascoc agreed Mbenge did not submit the contract, but added: "He kept indicating he will submit [the signed contract] until early this year when he did not respond to any requests."Sascoc added it would "exercise its rights to recoup the money paid to him".Funding erraticMbenge didn't want to engage in mud-slinging with Sascoc but explained the R6500 monthly OpEx funding was erratic and that he needed to support his family in Mdantsane near East London."My mother doesn't work and my father doesn't work and I'm one of five siblings. I'm the one who is always helping at home. My younger sister and younger brother are in grade 12."I'm grateful to Sascoc, but you don't get the OpEx money if you don't send receipts. They will pay you back for transport, food and gym facilities."Rumours of Mbenge's pending defection first surfaced after he failed to attend a training camp ahead of the national amateur team trials in Pretoria last week.Asked why he didn't inform anyone, Mbenge replied: "Sascoc can't accept the fact that I want to turn pro."Transition poorly handledBut Sascoc were unimpressed. "It is the manner he handled his transition to the professional ranks that we are disappointed with. He did not have the courtesy to inform us."Mbenge said he was first e-mailed by British manager/promoter Mickey Helliet after the Games."He wanted to manage me," said Mbenge, who trains with Sean Smith in Johannesburg. "He sent me a contract and I signed it," he admitted.After realising it was impractical having a manager in a different country, he asked to be released, but Helliet refused.Smith stepped in, sending a letter to the Englishman. "He didn't offer him a sign-on fee, he wasn't going to pay him nothing."Smith said Helliet relented. The manager did not respond to e-mailed requests for comment.Mbenge is likely to make his debut on the undercard of the cruiserweight world-title eliminator between Thabiso Mchunu and Ilunga Makabu, which is tentatively set for Durban on May 16.sports@timesmedia.co.za..