A businesswoman with a penchant for marketing has turned her attention to the waning sport of boxing‚ saying businesses are keen to sign up as sponsors.
In a once-mighty sport where many are bemoaning a dearth of sponsorships‚ Shereen Hunter is proving the opposite.
“The sponsors are quite forthcoming because they need exposure‚” Shereen Hunter said on Wednesday at the launch of her latest show on September 3.
She’s had a headline sponsor since she started early this year and now she is being approached by other businesses asking about sponsorship opportunities‚ she said.
Hunter’s latest show is an ambitious step up from her previous box-and-dine events with sell-out crowds of 800‚ moving to the Portuguese Hall in Joburg’s south‚ which has capacity for 3000.
It used to be a popular boxing venue‚ but that was a long time ago.
“I’m surprised I could still find the place‚” quipped veteran trainer Harold Volbrecht‚ who last appeared there as a boxer in 1985.
Dingaan Thobela recalled how he knocked out Felipe Orozco there in a late come-from-behind victory several months before winning his first world title in 1990.
And Thobela’s still-active ace trainer‚ Norman Hlabane‚ recounted that that was where the late Nick Durandt first assisted him in the corner.
The other unique element of the tournament‚ named Trilogy‚ is that its a collaboration between three trainers in the area‚ Hunter’s former fighting husband‚ Lionel‚ Anton Gilmore‚ another retired boxer‚ and long-time trainer Manny Fernandes.
“We’re bringing boxing back to the south‚” said Mrs Hunter.
The bill features 10 bouts topped by Phila Mpontshana making the first defence of his SA junior-lightweight crown against Lucky Monyebane.
- TimesLIVE
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