Don’t take Komanisi outbursts too seriously

Is Lusanda Komanisi the douche he is made out to be?

I think not. Komanisi is simply an emotional person who sometimes allows his emotions to get the better of him.

His ill-treatment by boxing fans is a bit disappointing, judging first by their failure to turn up to the otherwise good tournament.

Those who attended seemed to be there just to see him fail.

This was confirmed by jibes meted out to the boxer as he made his way out of the venue following his stunning knockout loss to Filipino Jhack Tepora.

While some will argue he deserves what is coming to him, it is unfair to kick a man while he is down.

Admittedly Komanisi started all this love-hate relationship with the fans when he accused them of wanting him to fail because he had joined a white trainer, Nick Durandt, in Johannesburg. He vowed never to fight locally again.

I do not believe he meant his tirade, but as stated above Komanisi could not control his emotions, as has always been the case after his fights.

After his rematch with Nkosana Sobethu, who he dropped several times en route to a stoppage win, Komanisi took the microphone to apologise for the poor fight.

After beating former stablemate Macbute Sinyabi, he went on a victory lap, saying Sinyabi had disrespected him by calling him a puppy.

“Who is a dog and who is a puppy now?” he asked in the post-fight interview with this scribe.

That riled Sinyabi’s fans.

He would continue with his remarks after beating Tello Dithebe this past July.

In his post-fight interview he called out all the top featherweight boxers, mentioning them by name, from Simpiwe Vetyeka to Azinga Fuzile, to be pitted against each other to determine the best of them all.

Johannesburg promoter Rodney Berman jumped at the opportunity.

But when it was time to sign for the series he had initiated Komanisi declined to participate, although one should add that it was not entirely his fault given the stormy relationship between his promoter Ayanda Matiti and Rodney Berman.

His call out of Vetyeka was surprising given his utterances in a television interview a few years ago when he admitted that Vetyeka was superior to him.

In the interview Komanisi said Vetyeka would make him look stupid if they were to fight.

This drew the ire of one Xolisani “Nomeva” Ndongeni, who reacted: “I cannot believe a boxer can down-talk himself against another one like that. To say on television that a boxer is better than yourself must be the dumbest thing I have ever heard.”

There is no doubt that his career is in tatters, but it would be insensitive to keep beating him up at this stage.

Fortunately he has a loyal promoter in Matiti, who rewards loyalty handsomely, and you can bet he will do everything in his power to get Komanisi back.