SANABO boxing

Battles are being fought in Grahamstown this week as Joza's new Indoor Sports Centre hosts this year’s South African National Amateur Boxing (Sanabo) elite championships.

Three months ago, the centre hosted its first boxing title fight, when Mziwoxolo Ndwayana defended his Eastern Cape welterweight belt against Masixole Banzi.

Grahmstown boxing enthusiasts believed that was the start of the boxing frenzy they’ve been waiting for.

True to that promise, the Sanabo elite championships taking place there now feature the best amateur boxers from all nine South African provinces.

The tournament started with preliminary bouts on Wednesday with finals set for midday tomorrow (Saturday).

The finals winners will make up South Africa’s B team.

The South African A team are taking part, but is doing so as preparation for the All Africa Games some time later this year.

Earlier this week Sanabo president, Andile Mofu, said after speaking with the MEC for sport, recreation, arts and culture, Pemmy Majodina, they decided to make the championships co-incide with the National Arts Festival.

Mofu says this tournament is very important to these young up and coming boxers as the experience they gain here will help them give everything they can in the All Africa Games.

He says they have an agreement with Botswana that boxers who are successful in the competition will get an opportunity to exchange blows with their international counterparts.

2012 Olympics participant, Ayabonga Sonjica, is a household name in amateur boxing and a regular performer at these championships which are also the springboard to many international events.

Mofu says the event is an important chance for team South Africa to get enough action before the 2016 Rio Olympics.

He says the standard of boxing this year has increased massively.

Six of the boxers currently participating in the championships are ranked in the top three in Africa.