Former sworn enemies and promoters Ayanda Matiti and Colin Nathan will officially begin working together when their boxers, Asanda Gingqi and Katlego Khanyisa, clash at Selborne Park in KuGompo City next month.
The bout for Gingqi’s SA junior-lightweight belt on September 26 will mark the first time Matiti and Nathan work together after announcing their reconciliation in February.
Their relationship soured after Duncan Village’s Phumelela Cafu bolted from Matiti’s Xaba Promotions to join Nathan just before he got a title.
Cafu dethroned Kosei Tanaka to win the WBO junior-bantamweight belt in Japan in October 2024.
But it was the defection of another Matiti boxer, Landile Ngxeke, to Nathan that strained relations, with Matiti challenging the move through Boxing SA, which sided with Nathan on the basis that Ngxeke was a free agent.
Though other Matiti-promoted boxers such as Mpumelelo Tshabalala followed suit, the animosity went up a notch, with the two often slugging it out on social media.
The matter escalated when Matiti’s SA junior-featherweight champion, Siyabulela Hem, lodged a challenge to Lindelani Sibisi, managed by Nathan’s No Doubt Management company, for his national featherweight belt on the basis that as a champion he should get first preference.
Supported by the BSA sanctioning committee, Hem’s challenge encountered obstacles as Nathan argued it was Makhanda’s Bongani Fule who deserved first preference due to his mandatory position.
Caught in the middle, BSA took the matter to arbitration.
After hearing presentations from both parties, it ruled in Fule’s favour, who lost a points decision to Sibisi at the Jan Smuts Stadium in KuGompo City in May.
However, Matiti and Nathan stunned all and sundry when they were seen embracing each other, announcing their cold war had thawed.
Nathan said he was delighted to work with Matiti for the Gingqi-Khanyisa bout.
“Xaba Promotions and No Doubt Management put their differences aside earlier this year, and this has led them to work together to deliver a mouth-watering contest between Gingqi and Khanyisa,” he said.
“Boxing is the winner here.”
Matiti predicted yet another thrilling bout as Gingqi vies for his fourth title defence against unbeaten challenger Khanyisa, who will also risk his IBF Continental Africa belt in the fight.
Gingqi is fresh from a debatable loss to Azinga Fuzile in April in a fight which saw his stock rise despite the defeat.
Not expected to hold his own against the former world title challenger, Gingqi was gutsy, with some feeling he deserved the decision.
This has made him a big favourite against Khanyisa, who is yet to lose a fight in 11 bouts while Gingqi’s loss to Fuzile was his second in 18 bouts.
Daily Dispatch