By Ronnie Nathanielsz
Keith Kizer, executive director of the Nevada State Athletic Commission claims the postponement of a hearing on the temporary suspension meted out to Ali “Rush Hour” Funeka (30-3-3, 25 KO’s) after he was found to have taken a diuretic which is illegal under the NSAC rules, doesn’t disadvantage the South African fighter.
It was bad enough that the lanky Funeka was by all accounts robbed of a decision in his first fight against Joan Guzman and dropped a decision to Guzman (30-0-1, 17 KO’s) in a rematch where the fighter from the Dominican Republic was 9 pounds overweight and was fined 25 percent of his purse last March 27.
To the disadvantage of Funeka a meeting on his case was scheduled by the NSAC for May 20 which was almost two months after his March 27 bout. However, Kizer informed us that it was “postponed until mid-June.”
It does seem unfair that a fighter who is only on "temporary suspension" should be made to wait some three months before the NSAC decides his case.
The delay is bound to set back the chance for his handlers to negotiate for a possible next fight for the lightweight contender.
BoxingScene.com/Insidesports.ph sent an email to Kizer asking whether it wasn’t “a little unfair that Funeka will have to wait longer for a decision on his case which means he can’t prepare for his next fight until he knows what sanctions if any will be imposed by the NSAC.”
Kizer’s quick, one word answer was “No.”
