Three were anxious moments when Mdantsane boxing veteran, Simpiwe Vetyeka, came in overweight at his first attempt at yesterday’s final weigh-in at Emperors Palace, ahead of his Super Four Series bout with Lerato Dlamini.
But anxiety turned to relief when he made the cut, after he stripped off to his underpants.
Vetyeka, who had failed to make the prescribed limit at the premedical midweek, again failed to fall within the prescribed weight limit yesterday when he scaled 57.22kg in his first try.
But stripping down to his underwear, he managed to tip the scales at 57.14kg which was just under the 57. 15kg limit.
His opponent, Dlamini, 23, easily tipped the scales at 57. 02kg to give the fight the green light.
Despite the weight scare, Vetyeka appeared to be in high spirits with his body hardly looking drained.
When asked if he was indeed comfortable fighting in the featherweight division, Vetyeka replied: “There was nothing in this. I have never struggled to make the weight for this division”.
Vetyeka, 36, blamed the scales for the weight discrepancy, saying his scales at his gym had recorded the correct weight limit.
“I weighed early this morning before coming here and I was little more than 56kg,” he said.
“I was surprised when this scale recorded my weight like this.
“It was the same at the premedical midweek but at least it was not compulsory to make the weight there because there is no title at stake.”
Vetyeka who is the most experienced of all the boxers in the Super Four Series, said he was not concerned at all about being affected by the weight discrepancy.
“As you can see I am strong. This is it now.
“The time for talking is over.”
The other semi-final will see Duncan Village star Azinga Fuzile pitted against Tshifhiwa Munyai.
The pair were within the limit with Fuzile looking strong at 57, 14kg while Munyai was even lighter at 56. 94kg.
Munyai, who has been dismissing Fuzile as a school champion because of the fact the Duncan Village boxer is still at school – he will begin his matric exams on Tuesday at his Khusile Comprehensive School – appeared a bit frail.
There were screams from hangers-on when Fuzile and Munyai posed for the photos after the weigh-in – heightening the excitement for the clash.
Fuzile’s East London promoter Rumble Africa Promotions is transporting 30 of Fuzile's supporters from East London to be present at the fight.
Asked how he felt after passing the first hurdle – the weigh-IN, Fuzile said: “Almost there. Just a few hours to go and people will witness some magic.”
Unbeaten in eight fights, the 21-year-old is one of the favourites in the S4 together with Vetyeka.
But Munyai will present the biggest challenge of his short professional career.
The other boxers fighting tonight are Thembelani Okolo who scaled 47.44kg and his opponent, Deejay Kriel who weighed in at 47, 34kg. The other fight pits Ryno Liebenberg against Patrick Mukala in a super middleweight bout.
lMesuli Zifo’s trip was made possible courtesy of Golden Gloves
Vetyeka survives scare at the scales ahead of clash
But anxiety turned to relief when he made the cut, after he stripped off to his underpants.
Vetyeka, who had failed to make the prescribed limit at the premedical midweek, again failed to fall within the prescribed weight limit yesterday when he scaled 57.22kg in his first try.
But stripping down to his underwear, he managed to tip the scales at 57.14kg which was just under the 57. 15kg limit.
His opponent, Dlamini, 23, easily tipped the scales at 57. 02kg to give the fight the green light.
Despite the weight scare, Vetyeka appeared to be in high spirits with his body hardly looking drained.
When asked if he was indeed comfortable fighting in the featherweight division, Vetyeka replied: “There was nothing in this. I have never struggled to make the weight for this division”.
Vetyeka, 36, blamed the scales for the weight discrepancy, saying his scales at his gym had recorded the correct weight limit.
“I weighed early this morning before coming here and I was little more than 56kg,” he said.
“I was surprised when this scale recorded my weight like this.
“It was the same at the premedical midweek but at least it was not compulsory to make the weight there because there is no title at stake.”
Vetyeka who is the most experienced of all the boxers in the Super Four Series, said he was not concerned at all about being affected by the weight discrepancy.
“As you can see I am strong. This is it now.
“The time for talking is over.”
The other semi-final will see Duncan Village star Azinga Fuzile pitted against Tshifhiwa Munyai.
The pair were within the limit with Fuzile looking strong at 57, 14kg while Munyai was even lighter at 56. 94kg.
Munyai, who has been dismissing Fuzile as a school champion because of the fact the Duncan Village boxer is still at school – he will begin his matric exams on Tuesday at his Khusile Comprehensive School – appeared a bit frail.
There were screams from hangers-on when Fuzile and Munyai posed for the photos after the weigh-in – heightening the excitement for the clash.
Fuzile’s East London promoter Rumble Africa Promotions is transporting 30 of Fuzile's supporters from East London to be present at the fight.
Asked how he felt after passing the first hurdle – the weigh-IN, Fuzile said: “Almost there. Just a few hours to go and people will witness some magic.”
Unbeaten in eight fights, the 21-year-old is one of the favourites in the S4 together with Vetyeka.
But Munyai will present the biggest challenge of his short professional career.
The other boxers fighting tonight are Thembelani Okolo who scaled 47.44kg and his opponent, Deejay Kriel who weighed in at 47, 34kg. The other fight pits Ryno Liebenberg against Patrick Mukala in a super middleweight bout.
lMesuli Zifo’s trip was made possible courtesy of Golden Gloves
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