Mboyiya must quickly exorcise his demons

The saga surrounding Aphiwe Mboyiya’s failed dope test has unleashed a barrage of mixed reactions in the boxing fraternity, with some condemning him to fall on his own sword while others are sympathetically calling for him be spared the wrath.

But the fiasco is far deeper than meets the eye.

Mboyiya has always been known for his wayward lifestyle since he burst onto the scene as a 20-year-old by stunning hot favourite Sydeny Maluleke to win the SA featherweight crown.

The crowning moment was the beginning of his downward slide.

Alarm bells began to ring when he went life and death with unheralded and handpicked Lucky Kwaza before escaping with his belt.

A defeat by Lusanda Komanisi to end his reign marked the complete turn-around of his fortunes and after that it was a downward slide. He even turned his back on boxing until he was rescued by Kholisile Cengani, who whipped him back onto the straight and narrow.

But that is where the bungle occurred. Admittedly Cengani did a sterling job to revive the left handed “Swagger” and took him to Xaba Promotions and Events.

But Mboyiya’s demons were never exorcised.

While he enjoyed a boxing resurrection his own personal life was still the same – leading to numerous reports of drinking binges.

Despite his winning streak, he was still a ticking time bomb.

This was evident when he was nearly knocked out in the first round by unheralded Filipino youth Jerry Castroverde. Mboyiya was lucky the fight was not stopped.

Those close to him should have taken a cue there and then.

Instead they tried to justify his loss to Phila Mpontshane in his subsequent fight, choosing to blame everyone from the judges to Boxing SA Eastern Cape manager Phakamile Jacobs for assigning inexperienced officials to handle the fight.

Commendably XPE brought him back against Sibusiso Zinganga who Mboyiya had beaten before and this time things went pear shaped.

Firstly he failed to make the weight for the fight at the final weigh-in ceremony held at Mdantsane Mall Gymnasium.

When he was given more time to reduce it he simply went to the male toilets where one insider saw him admiring himself in the mirror instead of going for a run.

After his lethargic performance when he escaped with a decision in a forgettable fight, he refused to subject himself to doping officials.

Insiders allege that he even refused to submit his urine sample for several hours.

Now insiders have revealed that he admitted to taking a substance to reduce weight.

His career is in jeopardy and to kick him while he is down would be tantamount to treating a symptom instead of the disease.

Whether he can be saved at this stage will depend entirely on him.

We can only pray for him.