Ali Funeka won the vacant IBO welterweight title by beating Roman Belaev on a technical decision in the twelth round at Emperors Palace on Saturday night.The Mdantsane fighter was leading 105-104 and 109-100 but trailing 104-105 on the third card when the bout was stopped because of a deep cut above Belaev’s right eye.
The Russian was injured in the tenth round but the ringside doctor let him carry on, which he bravely did in chasing Funeka almost right to the end.
The 36-year-old Funeka, a former WBF junior welterweight champion, took many blows to the head as the visitor, ten years his junior, refused to leave him alone.
Belaev, who is at No 34 on the IBO’s November welterweight rankings list, lost for the first time in his professional career in dropping to 14-1, with ten knockouts.
The new champion’s record now stands at 31-3, with three draws and 25 knockouts.
Funeka, 19th on the organisation’s list of junior welterweights before the fight, has also held the SA junior lightweight and welterweight titles and the WBC international and WBF junior welterweight belts.
The tall Eastern Cape fighter, with telling reach and height advantages, dropped his guard in the second round and paid the penalty when Belaev rattled him with a left to the jaw. It happened again and again, and Funeka later blamed an injury to his right hand for his problems on defence.
The Russian, who fights out of Germany, took a lot of jabs as he tried to get close enough to Funeka to inflict some damage of his own.
Also on Saturday, despite being inactive for a year, Thomas “Tommy Gun” Oosthuizen showed no signs of ring rust as he confirmed his greatness as a fighter by winning the WBC International light heavyweight belt with ease against Dennis Grachev.
The fight – the main bout of the Golden Gloves’ Top Gun bill – was Oosthuizen’s second in the light heavyweight class, having won the IBO Youth strap in his first fight in that weight category in 2009.
Moments after his win, promoter Rodney Berman announced the beloved left-hander from Boksburg would do battle with Ryno “the Lion” Liebenberg on March 21.
Meanwhile Johnny “The Hurricane” Muller won the eagerly awaited 10 rounder against Kevin “KO Kid” Lerena.
They gave fans value for their money. Muller was the aggressor throughout, forcing Lerena on the back foot. They traded big shots but neither fighter kissed the canvas. In the end, it was Muller’s aggression which won it.
Lerena wasted quality time waiting for that one big blow which never came.
Muller improved to 17 wins in 23 fights while Lerena suffered his first defeat after 11 wins.
In the first fight of the night, Mbulelo Nxazonke, a supposed stepping stone, upset the applecart by stopping Thabang Ramagole in the fifth round. — Bonagani Magasela and Supersport.com
Funeka takes title on stoppage
The Russian was injured in the tenth round but the ringside doctor let him carry on, which he bravely did in chasing Funeka almost right to the end.
The 36-year-old Funeka, a former WBF junior welterweight champion, took many blows to the head as the visitor, ten years his junior, refused to leave him alone.
Belaev, who is at No 34 on the IBO’s November welterweight rankings list, lost for the first time in his professional career in dropping to 14-1, with ten knockouts.
The new champion’s record now stands at 31-3, with three draws and 25 knockouts.
Funeka, 19th on the organisation’s list of junior welterweights before the fight, has also held the SA junior lightweight and welterweight titles and the WBC international and WBF junior welterweight belts.
The tall Eastern Cape fighter, with telling reach and height advantages, dropped his guard in the second round and paid the penalty when Belaev rattled him with a left to the jaw. It happened again and again, and Funeka later blamed an injury to his right hand for his problems on defence.
The Russian, who fights out of Germany, took a lot of jabs as he tried to get close enough to Funeka to inflict some damage of his own.
Also on Saturday, despite being inactive for a year, Thomas “Tommy Gun” Oosthuizen showed no signs of ring rust as he confirmed his greatness as a fighter by winning the WBC International light heavyweight belt with ease against Dennis Grachev.
The fight – the main bout of the Golden Gloves’ Top Gun bill – was Oosthuizen’s second in the light heavyweight class, having won the IBO Youth strap in his first fight in that weight category in 2009.
Moments after his win, promoter Rodney Berman announced the beloved left-hander from Boksburg would do battle with Ryno “the Lion” Liebenberg on March 21.
Meanwhile Johnny “The Hurricane” Muller won the eagerly awaited 10 rounder against Kevin “KO Kid” Lerena.
They gave fans value for their money. Muller was the aggressor throughout, forcing Lerena on the back foot. They traded big shots but neither fighter kissed the canvas. In the end, it was Muller’s aggression which won it.
Lerena wasted quality time waiting for that one big blow which never came.
Muller improved to 17 wins in 23 fights while Lerena suffered his first defeat after 11 wins.
In the first fight of the night, Mbulelo Nxazonke, a supposed stepping stone, upset the applecart by stopping Thabang Ramagole in the fifth round. — Bonagani Magasela and Supersport.com
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