Boxing In South Africa: Raheem Arrives In East London, Stirs Controversy From The Start

By Mesuli Zifo

Top American fighter Zahir Raheem is proving to be as cagey outside the ring as he is in it after he went ahead and booked his own lodging without consulting fight promoter Branco Milenkovic.

This after the American had also made his own travel arrangement to arrive in East London on Sunday.

Raheem, considered the best lightweight fighter in the world, will be in East London to face Mdantsane fighter Ali Funeka in an IBF lightweight title eliminator at Jan Smuts Stadium in East London on July 5.

He will reportedly arrive with an entourage of seven people.

Renowned for his craftmanship in the ring, Raheem sprung another surprise when he snubbed the accommodation arranged by Milenkovic and instead booked himself into a top East London hotel.

The American has reportedly taken an apartment costing him R5000 ($635 usd) per night.

“This means by the time he leaves East London he would have paid R60000 ($7,600 usd) for his accommodation alone, excluding the accommodation costs of his entourage,” Milenkovic said.

The American has also reportedly watched video footage of Funeka’s fights and expressed confidence in beating him. “Raheem believes he and Funeka are not in the same league after watching him on tape,” Milenkovic said.

Indeed, the American is considered one of the top fighters in the world having shared the ring with boxers considered to be legends. He easily beat Mexican multiple world champion Erik Morales and has suffered only two losses in 32 bouts.

Both his losses were controversial and were at the hands of world champion Rocky Juarez and Acelino Freitas for WBC and WBO world titles.

Meanwhile Funeka’s camp is seething with rage after the IBF appointed officials mostly from America for the fight.

This after the New Jersey-based world body appointed US referee Earnie Sharif to handle the fight.

Fight supervisor will be American Aaron Kizer while the judges will be New Jersey-born Steve Weisfelt, Dave Parris from the United Kingdom and South African, Alfred Buqwana.

Funeka’s manager Mzi Mnguni said appointing officials mostly from America meant Funeka could just as well be fighting in the US.

“It is obvious that American officials will favour Raheem and I do not understand how the promoter can allow this to happen,” he said.

Milenkovic said he tried to negotiate with the IBF to change the composition of the officials to no avail. “I tried to reason with the IBF but they would not listen,” he said.