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Mdantsane-born boxer Mhikiza Myekeni is no longer interested to challenge for the South Africa title for which he nearly took Boxing South Africa to court in June.
Instead, the fighter nicknamed "Showtime", wants to defend his WBC International flyweight crown which he believes will help him accelerate his world title challenge ambitions.
Myekeni will start the defence of the crown on Friday when he faces Sipho Mantyi at East London's Orient Theatre.
"Myekeni will gain nothing for challenging the SA title," his promoter Branco Milenkovic said.
| 'Myekeni will gain nothing for challenging the SA title' |
"He is already rated in respected positions by world bodies so why take a back step by fighting for the national title?"
However, not so long ago Myekeni was up in arms against BSA after he was overlooked for the vacant crown which had been stripped from Nkqubela Gwazela for doping.
 
BSA nominated Patrick Thwala and Xola Mayana to contest for the vacant crown in June leaving Myekeni in the cold despite being rated as a top contender.
BSA explained then that Myekeni's omission was due to the boxing rule which required a fighter to have three fights in a division for which he intended challenging the national crown.
At the time Myekeni had only fought two times in the flyweight division.
However, his manager, Nic Durandt, threatened to launch a lawsuit against BSA, claiming that there was a discrepancy in the application of the rule.
A few months down the line the rule was scrapped leaving Myekeni open to lodge his challenge but by then he had lost interest.
BSA PRO Loyiso Mtya confirmed that Myekeni had not renewed his challenge for the SA crown which Mayana eventually won by beating Thwala.
"It appears as though Myekeni is no longer interested to fight for the title, which is sad really when considering that he complained when he was overlooked due to the rule which was in effect then," Mtya said.
Since Myekeni joined Milenkovic's promotions, he has steered his career towards world title honours, like the majority of Milenkovic's fighters such as Gabula Vabaza, Hawk Makepula, Tshepo Lefele and Jeffrey Mathebula. - Sapa
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