By Andre de Vries

The total number of fights held in South Africa has declined over the last two years from +- 600 to +- 480, a drop of 20 percent.

The years 2015, 2016 and 2017 saw a gradual increase until this downturn. In the years 2013, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018 and 2019 no fights took place locally in January, meaning that more than half the time our boxing season is measured over 11 months of the year.

Female fights in South Africa

The situation regarding female fights is worse than ever over the last 10 years, this in spite of a board member appointed to foster the sport. As can be seen below, there were fewer fights in 2019 than in any year since 2010.

Total tournaments in South Africa

Hand-in-hand with the reduced number of fights (and probably the main cause of that) is the reduced number of tournaments held. Only in 2014 were there fewer tournaments held than in 2019.

Total boxers active in South Africa – local and foreign

There were fewer active local boxers in 2019 than in any other year since 2010. – only 480 saw any action. This compares very badly with the 612 in 2010. At the same time, the number of locally-based foreigners has increased from a low of 90 in 2012 to a high of 287 in 2017. There was a slight drop-off in active foreigners in 2018 and 2019 (258 and 196 respectively).

Exactly 70 percent of fights involving foreigners in South Africa were scheduled for either four or six rounds, so it cannot be said that they are high-level fighters here to help lift the standard of locals.

Of some concern is the increase of foreigner vs foreigner fights in South Africa.

Without being too critical of the opportunities given to these visitors to our country, it seems that local boxers suffer as a consequence. These fights are meaningless as many of the boxers are sub-standard and do not qualify for SA titles.

Retirements vs debuts

It’s very simple to compare the number of boxers that retired in any given year with the number of debutants in the same year. This equates to a nett loss of 308 boxers in the years 2009 to 2018. Only in 2012 were there more debutants than retirees.

 

South African title fights

It’s a sad state of affairs when, over 17 weight divisions, we can manage only 19 South African title fights in 12 months. To make matters worse, this has been the case for the last three consecutive years. The SA title should be the pinnacle of local boxing achievement and should also be the gateway to bigger and better things on the world scene. See Rule 17 (3) (a).

Fighting overseas

South African boxers were involved in 425 fights overseas since 2009. Sadly, the majority were on the losing side – 268 lost while only 157 won their fights. More alarmingly, 107, or 40 percent of the losers, lost by KO or TKO. Only in 2016 did South Africans win more than they lost, and that by the slim margin of four fights.

The percentage of fights taking place overseas has more than doubled over the last 10 years. Clearly, South African boxers will take any fight they can get anywhere in the world to stay active. The chart below indicates overseas fights as a percentage of total fights involving South Africans.

Ratings

In analysing the ratings issued at the end of December 2019 and taking into account the following:

• Rule 17 (2) – the three-fight rule, and
• A boxer that recorded a loss in his last fight may not challenge for a national title:

Of the 138 boxers in the ratings, including those in the International category, 91, or 66 percent, do not qualify to challenge for SA titles.

Suggestions

Fights and tournaments

Do away with the annual awards. This glittering occasion disguises the depressing facts as outlined above and creates a false sense of security. This money could be well used to sponsor a development programme, amateur and professional. The Baby Champs series held a few years ago is a good example and could once again be very successful if managed properly. This would address the reduction in tournaments and fights.

The loss of the SABC as a sponsor and broadcaster has been devastating, but every effort should be made to accept this, move on, and find other solutions. It’s patently clear that the SABC will not be reviving boxing on any of their channels where a large sponsorship outlay is required. This point is addressed under “Marketing” below.

Marketing

Regulation 11 (1) (d) calls for a marketing plan for a tournament. It’s a long time since I saw advertising for an upcoming event in any form of media, except for the world title fights at Emperors Palace which are advertised by the fight broadcaster. The Sowetan in an exception as Bongani Magasela makes an effort with the limited information at his disposal.

Offer incentives to promoters to include a SA title fight on their tournaments. This would uplift the calibre of the tournament and create more interest.

Offer delayed broadcasting rights to TV channels for a limited financial outlay. The broadcasts could take place out of prime time viewing slots and should go a long way towards creating general interest in the sport. SuperSport run many repeats weekly and might very well be interested in something different and innovative. eTV have run a very good historical boxing series, so are not totally opposed to boxing. Soweto TV used to broadcast a live fight card on the first Friday of every month. Clearly, there are options and possibilities out there.

Foreigners

Foreigners based in South Africa are a reality. Consider the possibility of running a parallel championship system for them. I would be opposed to allowing them to contest South African titles, but this suggestion would incentivise them and create a lot more interest. Of concern is the suggestion that they are being exploited by some promoters / managers so the contracts and regulations should be rigidly applied to these boxers as well

Title fights

Amend the regulations to do away with the three-fight rule. There are just not enough boxers for this rule to be workable. Many boxers are taking any fight they can get in any weight division just to put food on the table, and in so doing ruling themselves out of title contention. Perhaps just the boxers’ most recent fight should have taken place in the division in which a challenge has been lodged.

General

Fully 51 percent of South African boxers active in 2019 had only one fight. After they have paid for licenses, medicals, training expenses and management fees there cannot be much left. It would be a good thing to see contracts between boxers and their promoters / managers include a minimum number of fights per year, particularly for the boxers that make up the preliminary fights. This would go a long way towards stopping the annual exodus from the ranks.