Baptism of fire in a new chapter for the amateur firebrand

Of all the boxers  fighting in  tonight’s Sijuta Promotions tournament  at Orient Theatre, there is no one more highly-anticipated  than former amateur star Siphiwe Lusizi, who is making his  professional debut.After blazing a trail through the amateur ranks, winning countless medals and even representing the country at the Olympics, Lusizi,    popularly known as Matukuza,  begins a new chapter in his boxing career, when he meets Bongani Ngcetshe in a middleweight clash this evening.

The charismatic southpaw did not do his anticipated professional   debut any harm at this week’s premedical when he stole the show with antics seasoned professional boxers would envy.

During a photo session, Matukuza firstly refused to take off his clothes joking that: “If I do Ngcetshe will run scared at the sight of my chiselled body”.

And when he finally did and flexed his muscles, onlookers understood what he had  meant as he revealed ripped muscles often seen in bodybuilding events. “These are not juiced as bodybuilders do but raw muscles underlining my power,” he said clearly enjoying playing to the media, who also revelled in the occasion as he spiced up an otherwise pedestrian-like premedical.

Asked how old he was, Matukuza shouted: “Old enough to win a world title”.

The 26-year-old whose amateur spell is still shrouded in controversy following his unceremonious switch to the paying ranks just a few months before the Olympics, is looking ahead to making his name as a professional.

“I do not want to talk about amateurs because I am now a professional,” he said.

“All I want to do is to make my name in the professional ranks. My amateur achievements will count for nothing now. If I fail as a professional no one will remember what I did at the amateurs.”