South African junior featherweight champion Siyabulela Hem will take a different route despite his promoter still pursuing the featherweight title clash against Lindelani Sibisi.
Hem will face Democratic Republic of the Congo-born, Cape Town-based Ardy Katompa in his featherweight debut at KuGompo City’s (formerly East London) Orient Theatre as part of the blockbuster show headlined by Azinga Fuzile against Asanda Gingqi on April 24.
Hem’s decision to go another route came after an arbitration ruled against him in his quest to get first preference to face Sibisi ahead of Makhanda-born Mdantsane-based Bongani Fule.
Boxing SA’s arbitration ruled in favour of Fule on the basis that as a mandatory challenger, regulations sided with him ahead of Hem, who was initially approved by BSA’s sanction committee due to his stas the champion in other divisions.
But the arbitration argued championship policy cited by the committee in its decision was superseded by the regulations giving Fule the nod to face Sibisi.
The fight, which was scheduled for last Saturday, has since been rescheduled for a date yet to be announced.
But Hem’s representatives, Xaba Boxing Promotions (XB), which voiced its dissatisfaction with the arbitration ruling, indicated in a letter to Boxing SA (BSA) they would take the matter to court.
In the correspondence, XB’s lawyer, Akhona Mafani, argued that Regulation 17, which was cited by the arbitration, could not be read outside of the ratings, as the subclause (3) in its definition of an official challenger did not confine it to any specific division.
“Our client further contends that the tribunal erred in enclothing itself with the powers or authority provided for in section 7, as it is not one of the functions enclothed with sanctioning powers,” he said.
“For the above reasons our client will be approaching the relevant court with jurisdiction for a review application in terms of the Promotion of Administrative Justice Act.”
We respect their right to a different view regarding the outcomes of the arbitration process.
— Tsholofelo Lejaka, Boxing SA CEO
BSA CEO Tsholofelo Lejaka confirmed receiving the letter.
“We respect their right to a different view regarding the outcomes of the arbitration process,” he said.
However, Lejaka insisted BSA was confident about the correctness of the process and outcomes of the tribunal.
XB boss Ayanda Matiti, who had hoped to bring back Hem on March 20, said the Eastern Cape beanpole had been slotted for the already star-studded Fuzile-Gingqi tournament celebrating freedom and democracy on April 24.
Besides the main bout, which is setting social media abuzz, another potentially thrilling clash will see South African junior bantamweight champion Moyisi Booi embarking on his first international bout when he faces Argentinian David Nunez for the vacant IBF international belt.
A local derby will flare up between Gcobani Mdeliswa and Athenkosi Thongwana for the provincial junior flyweight title.
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