KuGompo City boxer Asemahle Wellem will embark on the biggest fight of his career when he challenges for the IBO world light heavyweight title in Kazakhstan on Friday without the blessing of SA’s boxing regulatory body.
The Chintsa-born fighter will face Kazakhstani Ali Akhmedov to headline an eight-bout tournament at Baluan Sholak Sports Palace, determined to add a third world title for the Eastern Cape to follow in the footsteps of WBC mini-flyweight champion Siyakholwa Kuse and IBO king Nhlanhla Tyirha.
The show promoted by Akhmedov is dominated by boxers from Kazakhstan, with the odds stacked against visiting fighters.
However, Wellem can hope for no assistance back home as he has a frosty relationship with Boxing SA after his licence was revoked for defiance.
Wellem was stripped of his SA super middleweight title for consistently sneaking out of the country to fight in Tanzania without authorisation.
After numerous warnings, BSA called him and his team to a disciplinary hearing and slapped him with stringent action.
But Wellem continued with his Tanzanian forays by signing with the country’s promoter, Mafia Promotions, which facilitated his getting a Tanzanian licence.
Since using Tanzania as his second home, the 25-year-old has enjoyed a four-bout winning streak culminating in the IBO title shot against the American-based Kazakhstani.
BSA said Wellem remained suspended in SA and therefore would not be afforded any support despite vying to put the country on the map in foreign territory.
“Asemahle Wellem violated BSA rules and got suspended; even after his hearing, he repeated the violation,” BSA chief executive Tsholofelo Lejaka said.
Lejaka insisted that BSA had not forsaken Wellem in his biggest moment but wanted boxers to abide by rules.
“We have been trying to engage with the Tanzanian Boxing Control Board to resolve this matter to no avail,” he said.
“The Tanzanians are failing to enforce their own rules over their licensees.”
Lejaka said the saga was further exacerbated by the change of guard in the Tanzanian boxing commission leadership.
“We are yet to meet with the new leadership.”
While all that is unfolding, Wellem is continuing with his quest for world honours without the support of his country, with concerns being raised on whether BSA will recognise him as one of its world champions should he cause an upset in Kazakhstan.
Wellem’s manager, Siya Zingelwa, who also incurred BSA’s wrath for his role in the Tanzanian sojourn before distancing himself in the boxer’s subsequent defiance campaigns, said he would not be dragged into the BSA rift with the fighter.
“I served my own punishment, but Wellem is now under Tanzanian handlers who are doing things their own way,” he said previously.
With just two defeats and a draw in 14 bouts, Wellem will enter the bout as an underdog against the 31-year-old local, who has lost twice in 27 fights and will come into the bout on the back of two wins.
Daily Dispatch