By ZINGISA MVUMVU
Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao found him in professional boxing, made a lot of noise and left, yet Mzonke “The Rose of Khayelitsha” Fana is still going strong.
Now Fana, at age 42, may become South Africa’s oldest reigning world champion if he succeeds in his mission to dethrone 27-year-old Terry Flanagan of the WBO world lightweight championship next weekend in the UK.
Fana is brimming with confidence as he is on the verge of re-writing history and is itching for the fight.
“I am more than ready and confident even if the fight were to be staged tomorrow,” he said yesterday.
However, the former IBF world lightweight champion will have to wait a little longer with his ring date against Flanagan set for next Saturday in Cardiff.
Should Fana defeat Flanagan in the WBO lightweight contest – which on paper looks highly unlikely – it will be the first time in his more than 20-year career that he will hold another boxing body’s world title belt having previously held the IBF world title in this very weight class.
Fana says he is unfazed by the 15-year age gap between him and his foe, although he acknowledges that Flanagan, by virtue of being young, will be superior with hand speed and mobility.
“I have a strategy to manoeuvre such things and I can assure boxing lovers that my preparations have been close to perfect,” he said.
Having last featured in a world title fight in 2010 against countryman Cassius Baloyi, Fana is hungry for victory to mark his return to the elite fighters as his career in the ring nears an end.
But in Flanagan he will be facing a youthful fighter with an unblemished record after 30 straight wins.
The UK pugilist is therefore the clear favourite to cruise to victory against the ageing Fana.
However, strange things have happened in boxing, with sensational upsets witnessed throughout the sport’s history.
James “Buster” Douglas, the then no-name boxer, pulled off what is probably the biggest boxing upset of all time when he knocked out favourite Mike Tyson in 1990 to become the undisputed heavyweight world champion.
Fana says he is not out to prove anyone wrong, but to do the best he can.
“It is not going to be an easy fight at all, that I know, but I am confident because my preparations went accordingly,” he said.
“People are talking about the age gap and that it gives Flanagan advantage. I do not know how true that is because I have contained young opponents quite impressively when one looks back at my previous three to four fights.”
In his previous two fights, Fana beat Vusumzi Bokolo and Xolani “Tiger” Mcotheli, both opponents who are 10 years and more his junior.
Just before that, Fana surprised many when he schooled highly talented and young Xolisani “Nomeva” Ndongeni, only to lose on points, much to the dissatisfaction of supporters. — zingisam@dispatch.co.za
Fana to fight on all fronts
Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao found him in professional boxing, made a lot of noise and left, yet Mzonke “The Rose of Khayelitsha” Fana is still going strong.
Now Fana, at age 42, may become South Africa’s oldest reigning world champion if he succeeds in his mission to dethrone 27-year-old Terry Flanagan of the WBO world lightweight championship next weekend in the UK.
Fana is brimming with confidence as he is on the verge of re-writing history and is itching for the fight.
“I am more than ready and confident even if the fight were to be staged tomorrow,” he said yesterday.
However, the former IBF world lightweight champion will have to wait a little longer with his ring date against Flanagan set for next Saturday in Cardiff.
Should Fana defeat Flanagan in the WBO lightweight contest – which on paper looks highly unlikely – it will be the first time in his more than 20-year career that he will hold another boxing body’s world title belt having previously held the IBF world title in this very weight class.
Fana says he is unfazed by the 15-year age gap between him and his foe, although he acknowledges that Flanagan, by virtue of being young, will be superior with hand speed and mobility.
“I have a strategy to manoeuvre such things and I can assure boxing lovers that my preparations have been close to perfect,” he said.
Having last featured in a world title fight in 2010 against countryman Cassius Baloyi, Fana is hungry for victory to mark his return to the elite fighters as his career in the ring nears an end.
But in Flanagan he will be facing a youthful fighter with an unblemished record after 30 straight wins.
The UK pugilist is therefore the clear favourite to cruise to victory against the ageing Fana.
However, strange things have happened in boxing, with sensational upsets witnessed throughout the sport’s history.
James “Buster” Douglas, the then no-name boxer, pulled off what is probably the biggest boxing upset of all time when he knocked out favourite Mike Tyson in 1990 to become the undisputed heavyweight world champion.
Fana says he is not out to prove anyone wrong, but to do the best he can.
“It is not going to be an easy fight at all, that I know, but I am confident because my preparations went accordingly,” he said.
“People are talking about the age gap and that it gives Flanagan advantage. I do not know how true that is because I have contained young opponents quite impressively when one looks back at my previous three to four fights.”
In his previous two fights, Fana beat Vusumzi Bokolo and Xolani “Tiger” Mcotheli, both opponents who are 10 years and more his junior.
Just before that, Fana surprised many when he schooled highly talented and young Xolisani “Nomeva” Ndongeni, only to lose on points, much to the dissatisfaction of supporters. — zingisam@dispatch.co.za
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