LUSANDA Komanisi cried hysterically, yelling “this is my time” as he made his way into the Mdantsane Indoor Centre ring clad in fighting gear inscribed with “rest in peace tata, we love you Madiba,” on Friday night.
And when he stepped into the ring for his SA featherweight title challenge against defending champion Aphiwe Mboyiya he fought like a man possessed as he charged at the younger champion from the opening bell.
Nicknamed “Sidubulangaye” (loosely translated ‘we shoot with him’) Komanisi, who is now based in Johannesburg under the tutelage of Nick Durandt, although he originally hails from Mdantsane where he still commands a lot of supporters, wanted one thing and that was to decapitate Mboyiya.
Throwing wicked punches which drove the champion on the back foot, Komansi landed hard blows but was made to eat a few as well.
The bout was nothing like a classic with the boxers’ styles producing a scrappy affair as the pair would took turns to tumble to the canvas.
Southpaw Mboyiya was guilty of transgressions as he tried to stamp on Komanisi’s toes causing the challenger to lose his balance.
When referee Allen Matakane admonished him, Mboyiya resorted to hitting below the belt, causing Komanisi to grimace in pain in round three.
However, he recovered to push the action and fell Mboyiya with a body shot in round nine for what could have been a full count had Matakane administered the count. The punch was ruled as below the belt.
While Mboyiya managed to cling to his title for one more round the impact of the punch virtually ended his output as he thereafter ran for dear life, clinching at close quarters.
Komanisi upped the tempo in the sixth round as he dropped Mboyiya four times to end the fight although one of the falls was also ruled illegitimate.
Mboyiya, who has been on a downward spiral since splitting with Eyethu gymnasiums, suffered his second successive defeat in 10 fights while Komanisi’s record was announced as 21 wins in 24 fights.
In the co-feature, Limpopo-born Johannesburg based Thompson Mokwana scored an easy seven rounds stoppage of veteran challenger Irvin Buhlalu to retain his SA lightweight crown.
Mokwana was in control throughout as he landed sickening combinations on Buhlalu who had former world champion Vuyani Bungu in his corner.
In fact the bout pitted Vuyani against his younger brother Dudu who assisted Manny Fernandez in Mokwana’s corner.
Vuyani was so incensed with Buhlalu’s lack of trying that he ordered him not to sit on his stool after the sixth round.
However, that made no difference as Mokwana rained a flurry of punches on the defenceless veteran until referee Siya Vabaza saved him from further punishment.
Xolani Mcotheli took a step closer to a title challenge at SA junior lightweight champion and amateur victim Xolisani Ndongeni when he scored a hard-fought 10th-round stoppage victory over previously unbeaten Phila Mpontshane to retain his provincial title.
The fight was a tactical affair between unbeaten boxers but as Mpontshane got through with his blows he started clowning, allowing Mcotheli to come back into the fight.
A chopping right hand dropped Mpontsane hard in the eighth round but the bell came to his rescue.
But two replicas of the punch in the 10th and last round felled Mpontshane and this time the fight was immediately waved over.
Other results: Mziwoxolo Ndwayana drew with Andile Mntungwa (welter); Siyabonga Siyo beat Lithemba Goje (junior flyweight).
New champ crowned
And when he stepped into the ring for his SA featherweight title challenge against defending champion Aphiwe Mboyiya he fought like a man possessed as he charged at the younger champion from the opening bell.
Nicknamed “Sidubulangaye” (loosely translated ‘we shoot with him’) Komanisi, who is now based in Johannesburg under the tutelage of Nick Durandt, although he originally hails from Mdantsane where he still commands a lot of supporters, wanted one thing and that was to decapitate Mboyiya.
Throwing wicked punches which drove the champion on the back foot, Komansi landed hard blows but was made to eat a few as well.
The bout was nothing like a classic with the boxers’ styles producing a scrappy affair as the pair would took turns to tumble to the canvas.
Southpaw Mboyiya was guilty of transgressions as he tried to stamp on Komanisi’s toes causing the challenger to lose his balance.
When referee Allen Matakane admonished him, Mboyiya resorted to hitting below the belt, causing Komanisi to grimace in pain in round three.
However, he recovered to push the action and fell Mboyiya with a body shot in round nine for what could have been a full count had Matakane administered the count. The punch was ruled as below the belt.
While Mboyiya managed to cling to his title for one more round the impact of the punch virtually ended his output as he thereafter ran for dear life, clinching at close quarters.
Komanisi upped the tempo in the sixth round as he dropped Mboyiya four times to end the fight although one of the falls was also ruled illegitimate.
Mboyiya, who has been on a downward spiral since splitting with Eyethu gymnasiums, suffered his second successive defeat in 10 fights while Komanisi’s record was announced as 21 wins in 24 fights.
In the co-feature, Limpopo-born Johannesburg based Thompson Mokwana scored an easy seven rounds stoppage of veteran challenger Irvin Buhlalu to retain his SA lightweight crown.
Mokwana was in control throughout as he landed sickening combinations on Buhlalu who had former world champion Vuyani Bungu in his corner.
In fact the bout pitted Vuyani against his younger brother Dudu who assisted Manny Fernandez in Mokwana’s corner.
Vuyani was so incensed with Buhlalu’s lack of trying that he ordered him not to sit on his stool after the sixth round.
However, that made no difference as Mokwana rained a flurry of punches on the defenceless veteran until referee Siya Vabaza saved him from further punishment.
Xolani Mcotheli took a step closer to a title challenge at SA junior lightweight champion and amateur victim Xolisani Ndongeni when he scored a hard-fought 10th-round stoppage victory over previously unbeaten Phila Mpontshane to retain his provincial title.
The fight was a tactical affair between unbeaten boxers but as Mpontshane got through with his blows he started clowning, allowing Mcotheli to come back into the fight.
A chopping right hand dropped Mpontsane hard in the eighth round but the bell came to his rescue.
But two replicas of the punch in the 10th and last round felled Mpontshane and this time the fight was immediately waved over.
Other results: Mziwoxolo Ndwayana drew with Andile Mntungwa (welter); Siyabonga Siyo beat Lithemba Goje (junior flyweight).
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