The highly anticipated Fists of Fame Celebrity Boxing Bout, set to take place on July 26 at Emperors Palace, has lost two of its biggest stars.
Actors Abdul Khoza and NaakMusiQ (real name Anga Makubalo) have officially withdrawn from the line-up — and according to insiders, their exits were anything but smooth.
Sources close to the event allege the pair's “prima-donna tendencies” made things difficult behind the scenes.
“During the press conference, Abdul didn’t pitch at all, and NaakMusiQ arrived an hour late,” a source close to the event told TshisaLIVE.
“Even when he was there, he acted as if he was being forced to show up. Abdul, on the other hand, showed zero interest in promoting the fight. It’s sad.”
Abdul Khoza and NaakMusiQ exit 'Fists of Fame' amid diva drama
The highly anticipated Fists of Fame Celebrity Boxing Bout, set to take place on July 26 at Emperors Palace, has lost two of its biggest stars.
Actors Abdul Khoza and NaakMusiQ (real name Anga Makubalo) have officially withdrawn from the line-up — and according to insiders, their exits were anything but smooth.
Sources close to the event allege the pair's “prima-donna tendencies” made things difficult behind the scenes.
“During the press conference, Abdul didn’t pitch at all, and NaakMusiQ arrived an hour late,” a source close to the event told TshisaLIVE.
“Even when he was there, he acted as if he was being forced to show up. Abdul, on the other hand, showed zero interest in promoting the fight. It’s sad.”
The official confirmation came from LB Boxing Promotions on Thursday
“TLB Boxing Promotions confirms that NaakmusiQ and Abdul Khoza will no longer be part of the Memorial Celebrity Boxing Event scheduled for July 26. We thank them for their initial interest in the event and wish them well in their future endeavours. Our team remains focused on delivering a powerful, inspiring event in honour of the late Lehlohonolo ‘Stone’ Ledwaba. Please accept our apologies for the inconvenience caused, but we promise you an exciting event full of entertainment. The line-up will be announced shortly.”
Shortly after the announcement, Abdul Khoza took to Facebook to share his side of the story, citing other opportunities: “Hey Fam, I know many of you were looking forward to seeing me in the ring... Unfortunately, I won’t be participating this time around. Life threw me a few exciting commitments that I couldn’t say no to but don’t worry. I’ll still be cheering from the sidelines ... Thank you for always supporting me.”
Abdul's manager, Larry Nombewu, said: “Abdul remains open to participating in future celebrity boxing events as they align well with his martial arts background. If the right opportunity comes along and his schedule allows, it’s definitely something he would consider”.
Joyce Kungwane from TLB Boxing Promotions said: “Abdul Khoza was scheduled to fight Chad Da Don. We have actually matched Chad against Naak's opponent Phumlani Njilo since he has also been withdrawn from the event. Can't say they are not disappointed as they were looking forward to this bout. Oh yes, the event is going ahead with five professional bouts, Chad vs Njilo and some entertainment. In fact it was not his decision but the promoter who withdrew both Abdul and Naak.”
NaakMusiQ has yet to issue a public statement about his withdrawal. With just weeks to go before the charity event, fans are left wondering who will step in to replace the A-listers on the card. TLB Promotions promises to unveil the updated line-up soon.
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