Sonjica fired up for Helebe

AFTER watching his career stall for 11 months when it was expected to take off following his world title triumphant, Duncan Village boxer Thabo Sonjica will finally step into the ring to defend his crown against Toto Helebe at Orient Theatre this Sunday.

Sonjica, the hard-hitting left-hander captured the crown with a stirring sixth round knockout of Filipino Silvester Lopez in July last year.

Ironically, Lopez was the chief sparring partner for Filipino boxing hero Nonito Donaire when he was preparing for his WBA featherweight title challenge to Sonjica’s friend Simpiwe Vetyeka this past weekend.

So much was expected from Sonjica after winning the title but disputes about purses of bouts he was offered subjected him to long spells of inactivity.

He was offered a good purse to defend his crown against Tshifhiwa Munyai in a Golden Gloves tournament at Emperors Palace in February but turned down the fight in protest that he was offered a pittance.

Then Mamali Promotions offered to give him an improved purse and Sonjica was willing to take it but again the fight fell off when Munyai opted to take the more lucrative clash against English fighter Scott Quigg for the WBA crown.

After searching for challengers in countries such as Philippines, Sonjica’s management finally settled for Cape Town-based Helebe who holds the SA bantamweight crown.

However the Capetonian is rated by the IBO in the junior-featherweight division making him eligible to challenge Sonjica.

“I have been out of the ring for a while and I was beginning to get frustrated,” said Sonjica.

“But finally I will be able to do what comes naturally to me and I feel sorry for Helebe.”

Sonjica is talented 25-year-old who packs a mean punch in both hands evidenced by 13 stoppages in 18 wins with just two losses suffered at the hands of Macbute Sinyabi in SA title challenges.

He eventually avenged the two defeats when he dethroned Sinyabi in March last year.

Helebe, who made his name by upsetting Mdantsane Olympian Phumzile Matyhila when he annexed his SA bantamweight crown, has been blowing hot and cold in his latest bouts.

He retained his crown with a razor-thin split decision over Klaas Mboyane before seeing off Innocent Mantengu on points in the Premier Boxing League.

In his last bout he was considered lucky to retain his title when he again scraped through with a split decision over Cebo Ngema.

While Sonjica has been inactive for 11 months he still expected to carry too many guns for Helebe unless his previous weight problem rears its ugly head again.