INACTIVITY of professional boxing in the Free State is due to the non-existent support or promotion of the sport, and this has left top-fighters stranded. So dire is the situation that some youthful talented fighters have decided to hang up their gloves and focus their energies elsewhere. Due to the situation some have decided to walk away for good and to not bother to renew their licence.
Local flyweight boxer Matsoaki Moselesele is one such fighter who is likely to go into early retirement as a result of the inactivity within the boxing fraternity. His financial predicament has seen him too not renewing his licence for the current boxing term.
The monthly stipend he receives for working at government’s Community Work Programme (CWP) is insufficient to pay the costs of renewing his licence. The renewal of the licence to fight costs between R500 and R800 per boxer.
“I am in a predicament, what I receive from the CWP is not enough to provide for my wife, three children and myself. I sacrifice whatever cash I receive to make ends meet,” Moselesele told Express Goldfields andamp; NFS.
The failure to renew his licence means Moselesele has no prospects of competing in any competition until he does so.
“I wish I had a decent job or another job, where I could earn more than I do currently. Besides, boxing was competitive and I was getting at least three fights with good rewards,” he said.
Due to inactivity he’s no longer ranked in Boxing South Africa’s ratings. This leaves him with a mammoth assignment to win all future fights to regain his ratings, which automatically qualifies him to compete not only nationally, but also internationally.
He believes he still has some magic to conjure up even though he is well into his 30s.
“Boxing is the only sport I’m passionate about. I still have what it takes and with a few fights I’ll get to regain my instinct,” said Moselesele.
He was in the ringside in October 2013 when he fought one-time homeboy Themba “Doctor” Ntsele for the inter-continental World Boxing Federation (WBF) flyweight title – losing on a split decision. It was their second within a year with the first in 2012 when Moselesele had challenged Ntsele for the South African flyweight championship. Ntsele ended the gruelling contest for the South African title in the 11th round when he floored the challenger (Moselesele) after unleashing a devastating right-hand uppercut.
Moselesele has a big heart despite unsuccessful attempts – four times to win any major title. In 2008 he challenged and lost to former five-time South African junior flyweight champion Mfundo Gwayana. His second attempt at the championship was in 2009 against the reigning International Boxing Organisation (IBO) and World Boxing Association (WBA) champion Hekkie Budler, who won via knockout.
Moselesele suffered a double blow in his third and fourth attempt to win when he lost to former hometown boy Ntsele, current inter-continental WBF champion.
Moselesele graduated from amateur rank to professional boxing with a reputation of winning.
He won the South African flyweight baby championship and remains the only Free State boxer to achieve that accolade
