A renaissance of SA professional boxing, says Lejaka
August is ushering in a powerful new dawn, a vibrant reawakening echoing across the fields of nature and the canvas of boxing, said Boxing SA CEO Tsholofelo Lejaka yesterday.
“Through institutional transparency, heightened interaction with licensees, groundbreaking regulatory updates, and historic athletic triumphs, the sport of professional boxing is stepping resolutely back into the global spotlight,” Lejaka announced.
And the conclusion of Boxing SA’s rigorous audit cycle by the auditor-general also marked a vital turning point, he added. “Boxing SA has leapt back into the bracket of an unqualified audit outcome.”
Lejaka said that a move which will change the landscape entirely are minister of sport, arts and culture Gayton McKenzie’s gazetted, long-anticipated draft amendment regulations.
“This is the first major overhaul of the regulations since 2005,” said Lejaka. “Slated for full implementation by December 2026, the new rules remove the restrictive age-cap for boxers over 35 who wish to return from a hiatus.
“This opens the door for seasoned veterans and cross-discipline athletes to re-enter the professional fold, dramatically widening the talent pool and rewarding lifelong dedication.”
He said boxing had also received a massive injection of support with over R9m allocated for the long-awaited Boxing League.
He said R1m would be distributed to each province, and the league would be delivered in a Pro-Am format.
Boxing SA will be in partnership with SA National Boxing Organisation, the governing body for all amateurs in SA.
“This league will multiply competitive opportunities and unearth raw, local talent from every corner of the country,” said Lejaka.
“This year’s celebration of Women’s Month burns brighter than ever in the world of SA, fueled by trailblazers who refuse to be confined by old limitations”.
At the vanguard of this movement is IBO champion Bernice “The Badger” Ferreira, who will go toe-to-toe with WBC champ Caroline Vyre of Canada in a unification bout in Atlanta, Georgia, on Sunday morning.
“For too long, local boxing felt the biting cold of stagnation but today, the signs of revival are unmistakable. A historic milestone occurred in May when SA produced three world champions – Ferreira winning the IBO belt, Siyakholwa Kuse capturing the WBC minimumweight world belt, and Nhlanhla Tyhira winning the IBO minimumweight world title.”
Lejaka said Boxing SA had embarked on a comprehensive capacity-building mission to fortify every tier of the system by instilling a culture of virtual study groups with different licensee categories.
“The study group starts with ring officials, and is currently on managers, trainers and boxers as well as medical practitioners,” he said. “Between May and July, Boxing SA held rigorous weekly study groups with all ring officials, that culminated in a landmark national seminar which took place on 17-19 July in Bloemfontein.”
The seminar, attended by 88 accredited ring officials, was for joint training – for the first time since 2017 – to ensure absolute judging integrity.
“At the moment, virtual working groups are actively being convened to engage trainers, managers and boxers,” said Lejaka.
“Similarly, under the guidance of the chief medical advisor Dr Robert Selepe, a medical advisory committee is also holding weekly virtual study groups to prepare for a medical seminar which will surely take place in the last quarter of the current financial year.”
He said priority issues included accreditation and ringside emergency protocols.
“The narrative of SA boxing this August is clear, the shadows of winter have receded, replaced by the warmth of promise, accountability, and historic achievement,” said Lejaka.
“With world champions leading the charge, regulatory barriers crumbling, and grassroots leagues taking flight, the sport is no longer just surviving, it is en route to thriving.
“A new dawn has broken, and the heart of South African boxing beats stronger than ever.”