Sonjica has a point to prove

WHEN Thabo Sonjica won the IBO junior featherweight crown with a six-round destruction of Filipino in June last year, he hoped that the win would propel him to bigger things.

Instead the title proved to be a drawback as it subjected him to a long period of inactivity, which had never happened to him before.

“I was hoping that after wining this title I would then go and achieve bigger things like going after other major belts. But it was not to be.”

Sonjica can be partly blamed for what has happened to him as he turned down a good offer to defend the crown against Tshifhiwa Munyai in February, complaining that it was too low.

Beating Munyai would have enhanced his stature and possibly lead to bigger fights.

To illustrate this, after being turned down by Sonjica, Munyai got a WBA title challenge against British champion Scott Quigg and was stopped in the early rounds.

On the other hand, Sonjica was left without an opponent because several challengers from Filipino turned down the fight.

Now he will have to settle for Toto Helebe, who holds the SA bantamweight title, when he makes the maiden defence of the crown at Orient Theatre tomorrow.

While the bout will provide him with action which he has been desperately yearning for, a win will do very little to advance his career.

Helebe is a bantamweight who has escaped with controversial decisions in title defences against moderate challengers.

Sonjica is therefore expected to beat him and if he struggles against a bantamweight boxer, his career will take a nose dive.

Duncan Village knows he will have to pull the rabbit out of the hat by performing above his level to convince detractors that he is still a force in the division.

“I will take this fight as a chance to get back to action – then maybe things will come right for me again,” said the 25-year-old southpaw.

There is no denying Sonjica has talent and skill to go all the way in boxing but his out-of-the ring antics are the biggest threat to his career.

And the fact that he hails from Duncan Village means he has to show extra commitment as boxers from the area are usually frowned upon.

He already blew an opportunity to showcase his talent in front of Golden Gloves Promotions when he turned down the fight against Munyai.

GGP boss Rodney Berman was so incensed with Sonjica’s actions that he immediately took him out of his tournament and refused to consider him for future bouts.

Berman has experience in dealing with Duncan Village boxers, having worked with Mbulelo Botile before.

The Sonjica-Helebe clash will headline an Eyethu Promotions tournament to be screened live on Supersport.