Thobela’s Return Messy as Local Commission Backtracks

By Mesuli Zifo

Sanity has finally prevailed after the South African boxing commission reversed the decision to grant flabby Dingaan Thobela a fighting license.

But the belated decision might just open the commission to a devastating legal blow as Thobela has vowed to fight with the same vigor he showed when he won the WBC, WBO and WBA titles to force the commission to rethink its decision.

“As far as I know I have a license and no one will take it away from me,” Thobela said with the serious conviction that has been lacking in his workouts in the gym.

Thobela, now 44, was already scheduled to face Basil Rey in an eighth round heavyweight clash at Emperors Palace, SA on August 29.

But after commission member Solly Selebi revoked the license already been issued to Thobela, the promoter of the August 29 bout Jeff Ellis withdrew Thobela from the fight for which he had already signed a contract.

Selebi was at pains in South African television interviews explaining why the local commission had a sudden change of heart after issuing Thobela with the license more than a month ago.

“We revisited our regulations and discovered that a boxer over 35 years old who has not been an active licensee for 12 months could not be issued with a fighter’s license, “Selebi said.

Thobela last fought in September 2006 when he put a tame effort against Soon Botes en route to his quitting at the end of round nine in their originally scheduled SA light heavyweight fight which was changed into a non title bout when Thobela again failed to make the weight.

Thobela who first won a world title at 130 pounds when he claimed the WBO crown had ballooned up to the heavyweight amid reports of struggling to keep his weight within the relevant limit.

He had not won a fight since his stunning 12th round stoppage victory over Glenn Catley to lift the WBC super middleweight title in 2000.

Several SA media reports blasted his return to the ring after a five year absence but it was the story by this reporter on BoxingScene.com which seems to have finally galvanized the local commission into hastily changing their decision to issue Thobela with a license.

In the midst of the confusion local commission officials are now accusing each other of fraudulently relicensing Thobela with the chief executive Moffat Qithi promising a full investigation into the issue.