Errant yet talented Duncan Village boxer Thabo Sonjica has vowed to mend his ways and return to his glory days after joining fast rising Mla Tengimnfene’s stable.
The left-handed boxer who is still recovering from the ignominy of losing his IBO world junior featherweight title on the scales in August, is looking to relaunch his career after dumping Mzi Mnguni’s stable.
The stable hopping by Sonjica is the latest of the escapades characterising his career which saw him blowing his chance of fighting under top Johannesburg promoter Rodney Berman when his planned IBO title defence against Filipino Roli Gasca turned into a damp squib after coming in overweight for the fight.
He was subsequently stripped of the title but the fight was allowed to go ahead with Sonjica scoring a less than stellar points performance.
Berman later organised him a non-title clash in the junior lightweight against former IBF champion Malcolm Klassen but Sonjica turned it down.
When his career appeared doomed, Sonjica considered accepting offers to leave the country and settle in America.
However, Tengimfene convinced him to stay and even engaged Mnguni in discussions about the boxer’s future.
“I had numerous meetings with Bra Mzi about this boy, because first and foremost Bra Mzi is one person I respect in boxing,” Tengimfene said.
Mnguni had moved heaven and earth to realise the aspirations of the boxer even when he was battling ill health following a stroke.
At one stage Mnguni even opened his doors for the boxer to stay in his home to ensure that he avoided the disruptive life in the crime-infested Duncan Village township.
Sonjica said he was grateful to Mnguni and still considered him as his mentor.
“But since he fell ill it has not been the same in the gym and I felt that my career was not moving in the direction I wanted it to move,” he said.
However, the decision to leave Mnguni’s Eyethu stable has come at cost as the planned IBO junior lightweight title challenge Berman had arranged for Sonjica in December has now gone up in smoke.
Berman said he had abandoned the plan to have Sonjica fight for the vacant IBO junior lightweight title after he left Mnguni.
But Tengimfene said he would talk to Berman to make the fight happen.
“There is no reason why Rodney cannot make the fight because all Sonjica has done is to change management,” he said.
Tengimfene said Sonjica had changed and was a workaholic at the gym.
“This boy is determined to make good his promise to change and so far I am impressed. He realises that the negativity that has been associated with him has not been good for his career and he wants to wipe all of that away.”
There is no denying that Sonjica is one of the most talented boxers in the land.
With only two losses in 20 fights which he avenged Macbute Sinyabi, the 25-year-old still has a bright future if he mends his ways and focuses on his boxing.
Having joined Tengimfene’s stable of All Winners Boxing Club which boasts IBF world junior bantamweight champion Zolani Tete, his elder brother Makazole who holds the IBO International and WBA Pan African flyweight titles as well as WBF International bantamweight champion Mfusi Maxhayi, Sonjica will be among a crop of boxers vying to conquer the world.
“He already sees himself as one of them and that can only help to have a positive impact on him.”
Fresh start for Sonjica in new stable
The left-handed boxer who is still recovering from the ignominy of losing his IBO world junior featherweight title on the scales in August, is looking to relaunch his career after dumping Mzi Mnguni’s stable.
The stable hopping by Sonjica is the latest of the escapades characterising his career which saw him blowing his chance of fighting under top Johannesburg promoter Rodney Berman when his planned IBO title defence against Filipino Roli Gasca turned into a damp squib after coming in overweight for the fight.
He was subsequently stripped of the title but the fight was allowed to go ahead with Sonjica scoring a less than stellar points performance.
Berman later organised him a non-title clash in the junior lightweight against former IBF champion Malcolm Klassen but Sonjica turned it down.
When his career appeared doomed, Sonjica considered accepting offers to leave the country and settle in America.
However, Tengimfene convinced him to stay and even engaged Mnguni in discussions about the boxer’s future.
“I had numerous meetings with Bra Mzi about this boy, because first and foremost Bra Mzi is one person I respect in boxing,” Tengimfene said.
Mnguni had moved heaven and earth to realise the aspirations of the boxer even when he was battling ill health following a stroke.
At one stage Mnguni even opened his doors for the boxer to stay in his home to ensure that he avoided the disruptive life in the crime-infested Duncan Village township.
Sonjica said he was grateful to Mnguni and still considered him as his mentor.
“But since he fell ill it has not been the same in the gym and I felt that my career was not moving in the direction I wanted it to move,” he said.
However, the decision to leave Mnguni’s Eyethu stable has come at cost as the planned IBO junior lightweight title challenge Berman had arranged for Sonjica in December has now gone up in smoke.
Berman said he had abandoned the plan to have Sonjica fight for the vacant IBO junior lightweight title after he left Mnguni.
But Tengimfene said he would talk to Berman to make the fight happen.
“There is no reason why Rodney cannot make the fight because all Sonjica has done is to change management,” he said.
Tengimfene said Sonjica had changed and was a workaholic at the gym.
“This boy is determined to make good his promise to change and so far I am impressed. He realises that the negativity that has been associated with him has not been good for his career and he wants to wipe all of that away.”
There is no denying that Sonjica is one of the most talented boxers in the land.
With only two losses in 20 fights which he avenged Macbute Sinyabi, the 25-year-old still has a bright future if he mends his ways and focuses on his boxing.
Having joined Tengimfene’s stable of All Winners Boxing Club which boasts IBF world junior bantamweight champion Zolani Tete, his elder brother Makazole who holds the IBO International and WBA Pan African flyweight titles as well as WBF International bantamweight champion Mfusi Maxhayi, Sonjica will be among a crop of boxers vying to conquer the world.
“He already sees himself as one of them and that can only help to have a positive impact on him.”
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