Boxing SA's ultimatum puts Seroka on the ropes

04 May 2016 - 10:05 By BONGANI MAGASELA

Boxing SA's sanctioning committee's ultimatum that all South African champions due for mandatory defences must do so by the end of this month or face forfeiting their titles has put junior lightweight Jasper Seroka in a spot of bother.Seroka is entangled in a dispute with trainer Bernie Pailman, who trains No2 contender Koos Sibiya and insists that he fight him before the No1 contender.Pailman said Seroka was supposed to defend his title against Sibiya before the end of last year.In a letter to Boxing SA, Pailman says Seroka's trainer, Manny Fernandes, asked that he and his fighter step aside and allow his fighter to face Xolisani Ndongeni for the then vacant IBO lightweight belt."I asked Manny what if Jasper got stopped because that would mean that Jasper can't box for 90 days and Manny said that wouldn't happen," says Pailman."While we waited, Koos got removed from the No1 spot."Koos later fought and beat Ashley Dlamini in February and the ratings committee put him on the No2 position."BSA sanctioning committee chairman Peter Ngatane admitted receiving Pailman's letter and said: "Champions who are due for mandatory defences cannot participate in any other title fights before making defences of their South African titles. If No1 contenders cannot fight then No2 contenders must fight."An unhappy Fernandes threatened legal action."We will go to court if BSA takes Seroka's title," he said.Some of the national champions who stand to kiss their belts goodbye if they do not defend their belts before the end of the month include middleweight champion Christopher Buthelezi and super middleweight champion Balemo Weliya, who last defended their titles in 2013...

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