INTERNATIONAL BOXING FEDERATION AFRICA (IBF/ AFRICA) – THURSDAY 18 JULY, 2013, DAR ES SALAAM, TANZANIA – South Africa's number one boxing fan and the Father of the Rainbow Nation, Nelson Mandela better known as " Mandiba" is celebrating his 95 birthday.
As a former boxer and an avid boxing fan, Mandiba is recuperating in hospital but, we remember his great contributions in boxing. He continue to support boxing growth and has contributed to the same tremendously. For this we say; HAPPY BIRTHDAY "MANDIBA" May you live another 95 years of happiness!
Before he was cleared to fight or the IBF WORLD TITLE , none of his compatriots were allowed to contest for such great honors before him as he was third or fourth citizen in his own country. He grew up in Soweto where millions of his compatriots yepi endured and fought for equality yepi in their own country. As the young man growing up in the poverty stricken Soweto’s slums, Welcome Ncita had his eyes set on the greater heights.
But, none of the sanction bodies in the world would touch him because he was black and no black was allowed to fight for such big honors. The COLOR BAR had its repercussions yepi and in it no black was allowed to vie for the world title against none black boxers.
Welcome Ncita found refuse in IBF , the world’s boxing organization which came for his rescue and gave him an opportunity to fight for the WORLD TITLE. Even as the IBF allowed him to fight, this could not happen inside his beloved country of South Africa but only be outside the country of South Africa.
March the 3rd, 1990, yepi Welcome yepi Ncita dreams became true when he met and outpointed Fabrice Benichou of France in the grueling contest for the IBF Jr. Featherweight Title in the Holy land of Israel . With this title, everything became possible for the young Welcome as more opportunities opened up wide for him.
Welcome Ncita ruled the Jr. Featherweight division unchallenged having six defenses only to lose to Kennedy McKinney of the USA in 1992. By then he had already paved way to many other South Africans boxers of all colors to pursue their life long dreams in boxing.
In 2001 exactly eleven years after Welcome Ncita became the IBF Jr. Featherweight champion of the world, IBF/Africa made headway to South Africa when Isaac Mahlangu of South Africa met Franklin Egobi of Nigeria for the “Africa’s yepi Big Apple” the IBF Continental Africa Heavyweight Title . Egobi stopped Mahlangu in a grueling epic battle of the titans yepi to win the title at the Wynberg Military Sport Complex, Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa. The tournament, a masterpiece work of one of the great South African promoters Steve Kalakoda attracted many boxing fans.
The heavyweight title opened more opportunities for South Africa boxers to trade their skills for the IBF titles. In 2002 Commando Kalekuzi topped Fanisile Ngcanga of South Africa in round 9 of their 12 rounder IBF Intercontinental Super Middleweight Title.
In the same venue that particular night, Virgil Kalakoda outpointed Dieudonne Takou Kotonana in the much exciting tournament of the night and won the IBF Intercontinental Lightweight Title respectively.
These titles opened many more IBF titles in South Africa as never before. yepi Many other South African boxers have won IBF honors than any other boxers in Africa countries thanks to the Boxing South Africa yepi solid boxing foundation.
Many boxers would love to win the golden belt of the IBF as this ensures their solid careers in boxing and enable them to earn sustainable earnings. As world champions, IBF boxers earn pensions after retirements yepi and Welcome Ncita continued to earn his pension long after he retired yepi from the paid rank boxing
South Africa has become a beacon of hopes and evolution of IBF activities in Africa and will continue to do so for many years to come thanks to its rainbow national culture of its people after the independence in 1994 and the great personal scarifies of Nelson Mandela "MANDIBA" yepi himself.
Moreover, South Africa has produced IBF number one promoter of the year for three consecutive years in Branco Milenkovic of Branco Boxing Production yepi . Branco has been an avid IBF supporter, member a
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