Boxer rushed to hospital

MDANTSANE boxer Tapelo Potwana was rushed to Frere hospital after his seventh-round knockout defeat by SA junior welterweight champion Mzolisi Yoyo in the main supporting bout at the Orient Theatre yesterday.

Referee Lulama Mtya stopped the fight and medical personnel rushed into the ring to attend to Potwana. He lay on the canvas for a while before he was rushed to the hospital on a stretcher, bringing a sombre end to what was a thrilling encounter.

Boxing SA Eastern Cape manager Phakamile Jacobs later announced that Potwana was responding well to treatment .

Earlier, Yoyo made heavy weather of the unheralded challenger before the dramatic end as Potwana appeared to be getting the better of him in the previous rounds.

The fight started at a frenetic pace with Yoyo appearing to be close to ending it in the first round. But Potwana, who came into the fight an unknown quantity, fought back in the second , rocking Yoyo with a combination to the astonishment of the crowd.

Fighting from an unusual stance which resembled a stick fight, Potwana stunned Yoyo with right hands, driving him on the back foot. But while he was getting the better of the exchanges, Potwana emerged with bloodied nose and bloodshot eyes.

So successful was Potwana in the fourth round that he even managed to clown around as his bombs hit home with repetition. He continued to press forward, his long arms keeping Yoyo at bay, although the champion managed to get through .

In the sixth round it was Yoyo’s turn to emerge bloodied but ironically he appeared to be getting the measure of his free swinging foe.

Yoyo upped the tempo in the seventh as he landed a right left combo that crashed Potwana to the canvas. He quickly rose on unsteady legs as referee Mtya administered the compulsory eight count.

Mtya, one of the country’s most experienced referees , asked him if he was ready to continue and Potwana nodded but when Mtya stepped aside Potwana crashed to the canvas again, forcing Mtya to call it off .

In the day’s main bout Lwandile Sityatha retained his SA flyweight title when he dominated Olympian Jackson Chauke en route to a unanimous points decision.

Sityatha who is improving with every fight, took the fight to his more illustrious opponent, throwing fierce body blows which drove the visitor on the back foot.

Chauke, who had promised to lift the title for his trainer Nick Durandt, showed no signs of backing up on his bold predictions.

Coming into the fight with an unbeaten record, Chauke was expected to push Sityhatha to the limit. In fact, some pundits picked him to beat the Mdantsane champion. But Sityatha fought like a man possessed hardly taking a back step as he systematical broke down Chauke with body blows.

He connected upstairs but Chauke who relied on counter punching, managed to get his punches through.

All the judges scored the fight in favour of Sityatha with Lulama Mtya giving him all the rounds by a 120-110 margin while his two colleagues Simpiwe Mbini and Andile Matika scored the fight 118-110 and 119-110 respectively.

In another supporting bout Luthando Baneti captured the Eastern Cape junior flyweight crown from defending champion Sinethemba Magibisela via a unanimous points decision. The bout was rather like a chess match due to the southpaw styles of both boxers. Baneti landed the more powerful blows and even put Magibisela down in the seventh round. But he failed to press for the stoppage, instead taking his foot off the pedal to allow Magibisela back into the fight. Baneti, a talented Pernell Whitaker- style fighter but with more pop in his punches than the former multiple world champion, would be well advised to stop admiring his work when he has an opponent in trouble. He continued to showboat when he had Magibisela in trouble, instead of finishing him off.

Other results: Nasiphi Mdlangazi had a third round TKO of Mzingisi Noqoko (jnr bantam); Doctor Ntsele KO 8 Xola Sifama (WBF Intercontinental flyweight title).