Simphiwe Konkco produced a master class in boxing to out-think, outsmart and outgun Nkosinathi Joyi and retain his IBO mini-flyweight crown at a packed Orient Theatre in a tournament organised for boxing legend Mzi Mnguni yesterday.
With government and municipal officials present to pay homage to the man regarded as “Mr Boxing”, Konkco weathered an early storm in the second round when he wobbled to the ropes to out-muscle Joyi with deft moves to confirm his vast improvement since joining the Colin Nathan gymnasium in Johannesburg.
The Mthatha-born bomber was able to tie Joyi on the inside and when the battle was waged at a distance he got off with crisp punches, swelling his foe’s face. Circling around, there were moments when Konkco used Joyi as target practice with his right hand ramming home repeatedly.
Joyi never stopped coming forward but his punch output deteriorated as the rounds progressed.
Frustrated by the refusal of his opponent to engage, Joyi plodded forward with little offence as he was picked apart by his superior foe.
While the fight started at blistering pace it soon degenerated into a one-sided affair as Koncko used his brains rather than brawn. An ever courageous fighter, Konkco was undeterred by the bloodied nose as he constantly beat Joyi to the punch.
All the judges had him retaining his crown which was previously owned by Joyi by scores of 119-111, 116-113 and 118-112.
The tournament, organised by Golden Gloves Promotions and Supersport, was held to pay tribute to boxing legend Mnguni who was ringside.
The hall erupted when Mnguni entered in a wheelchair as he is recovering from a heart attack.
GGP boss Rodney Berman and SuperSport head Graham Abrahams presented Mnguni with a beautiful painting engraved with his photo and that of his former boxers.
lLocal boxing white hope Giovanni Bushby was dropped four times with body shots before his corner finally pulled him out of his ABU super middleweight title clash against Lee Dyer.
Bushby was down twice in the fourth round but incredibly dusted himself off and went back to the fight.
He was wobbled in the fifth as he took severe punishment which could have forced another referee to stop the fight. But if Bushby displayed anything it was his bravery as he never gave up and actually made a fight of it in the next three rounds before Dyer dropped him again with a carbon copy body shot. When the same punch dropped him again in the round, Bushby’s trainer Vuyani Bungu rescued him from the fight.
In another bout Lwandisa Zinto and Aphiwe Masangwana produced a lucklustre affair in their Eastern Cape featherweight title clash until Masangwana eventually emerged the winner with a unanimous decision.
The bout was a real disappointment, characterised by wrestling holding, mauling and everything that constitutes a dirty clash.
Long before the end, spectators were already booing, with the styles of the two boxers not helping matters.
Masangwana, who is the cousin of Xolisani “Novema” Ndongeni, once again proved the incredible work done by Chief Mzamo Njekanye, who has just produced new SA featherweight champion Azinga Fuzile.
Msengwana dropped Zinto with an uppercut in the last round, despite blood streaming down his eye after a possible clash of heads.
Despite his corner being manned by veteran trainer Loyiso Mtya, Zinto hardly put forth a sustained offence against an opponent of just three bouts with two wins and a loss.
Other results: Siphamandla Mkhaphani W 4 Andile Nxayaphi (jnr bantam), Xolisa Magusha TKO 3 Ayanda Dulane (mini-fly).
Master class from Konkco
With government and municipal officials present to pay homage to the man regarded as “Mr Boxing”, Konkco weathered an early storm in the second round when he wobbled to the ropes to out-muscle Joyi with deft moves to confirm his vast improvement since joining the Colin Nathan gymnasium in Johannesburg.
The Mthatha-born bomber was able to tie Joyi on the inside and when the battle was waged at a distance he got off with crisp punches, swelling his foe’s face. Circling around, there were moments when Konkco used Joyi as target practice with his right hand ramming home repeatedly.
Joyi never stopped coming forward but his punch output deteriorated as the rounds progressed.
Frustrated by the refusal of his opponent to engage, Joyi plodded forward with little offence as he was picked apart by his superior foe.
While the fight started at blistering pace it soon degenerated into a one-sided affair as Koncko used his brains rather than brawn. An ever courageous fighter, Konkco was undeterred by the bloodied nose as he constantly beat Joyi to the punch.
All the judges had him retaining his crown which was previously owned by Joyi by scores of 119-111, 116-113 and 118-112.
The tournament, organised by Golden Gloves Promotions and Supersport, was held to pay tribute to boxing legend Mnguni who was ringside.
The hall erupted when Mnguni entered in a wheelchair as he is recovering from a heart attack.
GGP boss Rodney Berman and SuperSport head Graham Abrahams presented Mnguni with a beautiful painting engraved with his photo and that of his former boxers.
lLocal boxing white hope Giovanni Bushby was dropped four times with body shots before his corner finally pulled him out of his ABU super middleweight title clash against Lee Dyer.
Bushby was down twice in the fourth round but incredibly dusted himself off and went back to the fight.
He was wobbled in the fifth as he took severe punishment which could have forced another referee to stop the fight. But if Bushby displayed anything it was his bravery as he never gave up and actually made a fight of it in the next three rounds before Dyer dropped him again with a carbon copy body shot. When the same punch dropped him again in the round, Bushby’s trainer Vuyani Bungu rescued him from the fight.
In another bout Lwandisa Zinto and Aphiwe Masangwana produced a lucklustre affair in their Eastern Cape featherweight title clash until Masangwana eventually emerged the winner with a unanimous decision.
The bout was a real disappointment, characterised by wrestling holding, mauling and everything that constitutes a dirty clash.
Long before the end, spectators were already booing, with the styles of the two boxers not helping matters.
Masangwana, who is the cousin of Xolisani “Novema” Ndongeni, once again proved the incredible work done by Chief Mzamo Njekanye, who has just produced new SA featherweight champion Azinga Fuzile.
Msengwana dropped Zinto with an uppercut in the last round, despite blood streaming down his eye after a possible clash of heads.
Despite his corner being manned by veteran trainer Loyiso Mtya, Zinto hardly put forth a sustained offence against an opponent of just three bouts with two wins and a loss.
Other results: Siphamandla Mkhaphani W 4 Andile Nxayaphi (jnr bantam), Xolisa Magusha TKO 3 Ayanda Dulane (mini-fly).
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