The battles in the ring will determine the winners when Xaba Promotions stages its boxing tournament on Saturday, but it is the clash between Asanda Gingqi and Katlego Khanyisa which will go beyond ring action.
Promoted by XP, Gingqi will make the fourth defence of his SA junior lightweight title against Khanyisa at the Selborne Park tennis court complex.
The clash will pit their handlers, Ayanda Matiti and Colin Nathan, against each other for the first time since their reconciliation in February.
After their well-documented animosity owing to several defections of XP boxers to Nathan’s No Doubt Management, forcing Boxing SA intervention amid legal threats, the two have smoked the peace pipe.
Ironically, the reconciliation was borne out of a standoff involving fighters Siyabulela Hem and Nathan-managed Lindelani Sibisi when BSA invited them to a tribunal in February.
Hem wanted a direct shot at Sibisi’s SA featherweight title ahead of Bongani Fule, who had already lodged a mandatory challenge.
The tribunal sided with Nathan’s sentiments of giving Fule first preference ahead of Hem.
However, during a tea break at the tribunal, Matiti and Nathan agreed to have a photo taken amid reports that they had buried the hatchet, paving the way for their fighters to challenge each other.
Saturday will mark the first of the newfound working relations, with Nathan having already thrown down the gauntlet for his unbeaten star, who will also put his IBF Africa belt on the line.
Khanyisa released a fully loaded message to Gingqi, promising to take his SA title to add to his IBF continental belt.
“We are coming to the Eastern Cape with one mission in mind — to retain the IBF and take the SA title from Asanda Gingqi,” he said.
“Ndizokugingqa bhuti (I will beat you up so bad, brother).
Khanyisa will arrive in KuGompo City on Thursday after his scheduled arrival on Tuesday encountered glitches.
For his part, Gingqi has maintained a silent demeanour, opting to concentrate on his fight strategy and ride the momentum of his spectacular performance when he was arguably unlucky to drop a points decision to Azinga Fuzile in April.
Listed as an underdog against Fuzile, Gingqi surprised pundits when he rallied and closed the show stronger to steal the last rounds, rendering mixed reactions about the winner.
Having been promised international forays after his bold stand against the former world title challenger, Gingqi is aware that, at 33, his time is running out.
Matiti said taking Gingqi internationally was still part of the plan after taking care of business against Khanyisa.
“Nothing has changed in our plans for Gingqi, but he needed to handle his mandatory obligations first,” he said.
“Then we will do our utmost best to take him to the world stage.”
Gingqi’s loss to Fuzile was only his second in 18 bouts, with two SA titles to boot, while Khanyisa is yet to taste a defeat in 11 outings.
Daily Dispatch