Deceit claims mar Laila Ali's African fight

Boxing champion Laila Ali poses after announcing her plan to fight on Aug. 5 in Cape Town, South Africa, during a news conference in Beverly Hills, California, on June 23. PHOTO: AP

Boxer Laila Ali's bid to honor the one-time wish of her legendary father, Muhammad Ali, to fight in South Africa has turned into a embarrassing affair with allegations of fraud, deceit and rumor.

The 28-year-old light-middleweight champion arrived in the country last week for a much-touted fight against 36-year-old mother-of-five Gwendolyn O'Neill of Guyana.

But days later -- as many in boxing circles predicted -- she reportedly pulled out of the "historic" fight scheduled for Aug. 5 in the city of Cape Town.

But controversial promoter Joe Manyathi -- who was seen gloating when Ali arrived, saying his detractors had been a motivating force in his successful bid to bring her to the country -- was still insisting the fight would go ahead.

Ali's manager told reporters that Manyathi had failed to meet his financial obligations. Ali's fee was estimated at around 3.5 million rand (US$522,000).

Ali meanwhile stayed out of the limelight at a plush hotel on Cape Town's Atlantic seaboard while boxing circles began absorbing and debating the ramifications of Manyathi's latest boxing extravaganza.

For local boxing fans and television audiences worldwide, it remained unclear on Tuesday whether Manyathi would be allowed to pursue his plan.

Questions were raised about how he set about organizing the fight, and evidence came to light that the sports minister's signature had been forged on documents seeking the support of sport authorities in Cape Town.

Manyathi has a reputation for dreaming big. His empty promises of bringing boxers Mike Tyson and Lennox Lewis for a clash in South Africa, and talk of organizing a fight for Evander Holyfield are legend in boxing circles.

He also has a record of not paying local boxers the purses due to them, according to commentators in the sport.

While Manyathi insisted that he had met the requirements laid down by regulator Boxing South Africa to stage the fight, his rivals have offered to save the day.

In an interview with the Star newspaper on Tuesday, promoter Rodney Berman offered to give Ali a slot in a tournament he was organizing in Johannesburg at the weekend.

He told the newspaper that he was negotiating with Ali's management in a bid to "salvage something."

South African sports minister Makhenkesi Stofile has meanwhile launched an investigation into the allegations against Manyathi's Sta-Trade promotions company.