The highly-anticipated clash between two Eastern Cape boxers Siyabonga Siyo and Simpiwe Konkco scheduled for Emperors Palace tomorrow hangs in the balance.
This after Siyo, who hails from Duncan Village contracted flu this week, leaving him bed-ridden just days before the fight. Siyo left for Johannesburg on Sunday in order to acclimatise and appeared to be adapting well to the high altitude conditions that often adversely affects coastal boxers.
He had been using Manny Fernandez’s gym and all looked well and good, until he apparently slept with the air-conditioner on in his hotel room.
When he woke up on Tuesday he was not feeling well, and was coughing non-stop by the time the afternoon training session arrived.
Promoter Andile Sidinile confirmed that he had to take the boxer to a doctor.
“He was coughing non-stop at the training session so we had to attend to the situation,” said Sidinile. However, after he was given antibiotic injections he appeared to be getting worse and even nearly collapsed.
“He was shaking like a leaf with his body temperature fluctuating,” said Sidinile.
Since then, Siyo has not participated in any training session as he was still bedridden by late yesterday.
Sidinile said a decision was to be taken last night on whether Siyo would go ahead with the fight, although fight promoter Rodney Berman, who will present the tournament under his Golden Gloves Promotion banner, is still in the dark about these developments.
But Siyo, who left East London with two assistant trainers Miniyakhe Sityatha and Mhikiza Myekeni, wants to go ahead with the fight – his biggest in his 11-bout career.
Siyo’s departure without chief trainer Boy Boy Mpulampula raised a few eyebrows.
Mpulampula, who was roped into the camp to head the technical team shot down suggestions that his absence has contributed to the flu virus Siyo contracted.
Mpulampula, a veteran trainer, is known to have father-figure status over his boxers, monitoring their every move, leading some people to believe that he would not have allowed Siyo to sleep with the air-conditioner on in his room. Mpulampula said he would only join Siyo at the weigh-in today.
While uncertainty is engulfing Siyo’s camp, Konkco who hails from Mthatha, is reportedly spitting fire in sparring sessions ahead of the fight.
He has been in Johannesburg for a while where he relocated after ditching long-time trainer Madoda Dyonase last year.
Konkco now trains under Colin Nathan who has been doing his bit to unsettle Siyo by gamesmanship tactics.
Sidinile admitted that withdrawing Siyo from the fight would be disappointing, as the Duncan Village boxer would be boxing on the big stage for the first time. “But the health of the boxer is more important here and I feel that he is in no state to fight.”
By late yesterday Sidinile was scheduled to take Siyo to a second doctor.
The fight will form part of the GGP extravaganza also featuring the Cruiserweight Super Four series, involving SA boxers Johnny Muller and Kevin Lerena. Lerena takes on Dane Micki Nielsen while Muller fights Roberto Bolonti of Argentine with the winners scheduled to face-off in September for the share of the $100 000 (R1.4-million) first prize.
Setback as flu bug hits Siyo
This after Siyo, who hails from Duncan Village contracted flu this week, leaving him bed-ridden just days before the fight. Siyo left for Johannesburg on Sunday in order to acclimatise and appeared to be adapting well to the high altitude conditions that often adversely affects coastal boxers.
He had been using Manny Fernandez’s gym and all looked well and good, until he apparently slept with the air-conditioner on in his hotel room.
When he woke up on Tuesday he was not feeling well, and was coughing non-stop by the time the afternoon training session arrived.
Promoter Andile Sidinile confirmed that he had to take the boxer to a doctor.
“He was coughing non-stop at the training session so we had to attend to the situation,” said Sidinile. However, after he was given antibiotic injections he appeared to be getting worse and even nearly collapsed.
“He was shaking like a leaf with his body temperature fluctuating,” said Sidinile.
Since then, Siyo has not participated in any training session as he was still bedridden by late yesterday.
Sidinile said a decision was to be taken last night on whether Siyo would go ahead with the fight, although fight promoter Rodney Berman, who will present the tournament under his Golden Gloves Promotion banner, is still in the dark about these developments.
But Siyo, who left East London with two assistant trainers Miniyakhe Sityatha and Mhikiza Myekeni, wants to go ahead with the fight – his biggest in his 11-bout career.
Siyo’s departure without chief trainer Boy Boy Mpulampula raised a few eyebrows.
Mpulampula, who was roped into the camp to head the technical team shot down suggestions that his absence has contributed to the flu virus Siyo contracted.
Mpulampula, a veteran trainer, is known to have father-figure status over his boxers, monitoring their every move, leading some people to believe that he would not have allowed Siyo to sleep with the air-conditioner on in his room. Mpulampula said he would only join Siyo at the weigh-in today.
While uncertainty is engulfing Siyo’s camp, Konkco who hails from Mthatha, is reportedly spitting fire in sparring sessions ahead of the fight.
He has been in Johannesburg for a while where he relocated after ditching long-time trainer Madoda Dyonase last year.
Konkco now trains under Colin Nathan who has been doing his bit to unsettle Siyo by gamesmanship tactics.
Sidinile admitted that withdrawing Siyo from the fight would be disappointing, as the Duncan Village boxer would be boxing on the big stage for the first time. “But the health of the boxer is more important here and I feel that he is in no state to fight.”
By late yesterday Sidinile was scheduled to take Siyo to a second doctor.
The fight will form part of the GGP extravaganza also featuring the Cruiserweight Super Four series, involving SA boxers Johnny Muller and Kevin Lerena. Lerena takes on Dane Micki Nielsen while Muller fights Roberto Bolonti of Argentine with the winners scheduled to face-off in September for the share of the $100 000 (R1.4-million) first prize.
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