Mdantsane-born Johannesburg-based boxer Lusanda Komanisi may have blown his relationship for good with East London boxing fans after he criticised them for cheering on his Filipino opponent Roli Gasca in their IBO featherweight title clash at East London’s Orient Theatre on Monday.
Komanisi remains one of only two prominent Mdantsane boxers still based in Johannesburg – the other being Zolani Marali – despite benefiting from boxing action back home.
While scores of spectators came in their numbers to see Komanisi make the first defence of the belt he sensationally won in July, when he knocked out crowd favourite Macbute Sinyabi, his performance left so much to be desired.
Komanisi huffed and puffed with his boxing make-up characterised by posing instead of his renowned offence which had been responsible for knocking out 17 of his 18 victims going in to the Gasca fight.
It was hard to believe that he had an offence-minded trainer in Nick Durandt in his corner.
His timing and range was woeful as he would throw his punches way off the mark and Gasca had no problem just taking them on his gloves or at times just ignored them as they hit air.
Instead, Komanisi, who had earned the moniker Sidubulangaye (loosely translating we shoot with him), when he steamrolled through opposition, showed another side to his boxing prowess, that is inventing theatrics as he complained to the referee with every minor foul committed.
The two boxers often butted heads but Komanisi reacted as if he had been shot with heavy artillery.
He would turn his back on his opponent and grimace in pain only to show no signs of injury after resumption of proceedings.
By the middle rounds the crowd had started cheering on Gasca.
Still the fight was nothing to write home about, instead it was deteriorating into a snoozefest with sections of spectators who had given up their usual Monday night openly jeering the non-action in the ring.
The judges had a tough time trying to declare a winner with one scoring the fight in favour of the Filipino 116-112, but was overruled by his colleagues who decided to let Komanisi keep his crown by awarding him 115-113 and 116-112 scores respectively.
After the fight, Komanisi said he was not surprised that the spectators had cheered for Gasca because: “I know East London people do not like me but I do not care because I am doing this to feed my family”.
However, Komanisi forgot that his performance did not inspire anyone to cheer for him and his failure to acknowledge his own indiscretion might come back to haunt him in future.
The most exciting battle of the night was the fight between mini-flyweights Simpiwe Konkco and Nhlanhla “24” Ngamntwini who met in their highly anticipated IBO Intercontinental title clash.
The fight which has been an on-and-off affair, took off at a fast pace with the unbeaten Ngamntwini fighting a measured bout until the experienced Konkco figured him out in the second round.
Once the Tsolo-born Mthatha-based champion discovered that the Duncan Village prospect had no idea on how to protect himself from his left hook, the fight became one-way traffic.
Konkco wobbled Ngamntwini twice in the third round, with the unbeaten prospect surviving by holding on for dear life.
But Konkco ended matters in the fourth with a sickening left hook that left Ngamntwini sprawled on the canvas where he was attended to by ringside doctors before making it to his feet.
Other results: Ludumo Lamati bt Bulelani Nama TKO 2 (bantam); Azinga Fuzile bt Sibusiso Khumalo (feather); Siphosethu Mvula bt Tapiwa Tembo (IBO Intercontinental junior-feather); Sipho Taliwe bt Viwe Mdletyeni TKO 3 (light); Aphiwe Msengwana bt Anda Ketevu TKO 4 (feather).
Komanisi rebukes fans
Komanisi remains one of only two prominent Mdantsane boxers still based in Johannesburg – the other being Zolani Marali – despite benefiting from boxing action back home.
While scores of spectators came in their numbers to see Komanisi make the first defence of the belt he sensationally won in July, when he knocked out crowd favourite Macbute Sinyabi, his performance left so much to be desired.
Komanisi huffed and puffed with his boxing make-up characterised by posing instead of his renowned offence which had been responsible for knocking out 17 of his 18 victims going in to the Gasca fight.
It was hard to believe that he had an offence-minded trainer in Nick Durandt in his corner.
His timing and range was woeful as he would throw his punches way off the mark and Gasca had no problem just taking them on his gloves or at times just ignored them as they hit air.
Instead, Komanisi, who had earned the moniker Sidubulangaye (loosely translating we shoot with him), when he steamrolled through opposition, showed another side to his boxing prowess, that is inventing theatrics as he complained to the referee with every minor foul committed.
The two boxers often butted heads but Komanisi reacted as if he had been shot with heavy artillery.
He would turn his back on his opponent and grimace in pain only to show no signs of injury after resumption of proceedings.
By the middle rounds the crowd had started cheering on Gasca.
Still the fight was nothing to write home about, instead it was deteriorating into a snoozefest with sections of spectators who had given up their usual Monday night openly jeering the non-action in the ring.
The judges had a tough time trying to declare a winner with one scoring the fight in favour of the Filipino 116-112, but was overruled by his colleagues who decided to let Komanisi keep his crown by awarding him 115-113 and 116-112 scores respectively.
After the fight, Komanisi said he was not surprised that the spectators had cheered for Gasca because: “I know East London people do not like me but I do not care because I am doing this to feed my family”.
However, Komanisi forgot that his performance did not inspire anyone to cheer for him and his failure to acknowledge his own indiscretion might come back to haunt him in future.
The most exciting battle of the night was the fight between mini-flyweights Simpiwe Konkco and Nhlanhla “24” Ngamntwini who met in their highly anticipated IBO Intercontinental title clash.
The fight which has been an on-and-off affair, took off at a fast pace with the unbeaten Ngamntwini fighting a measured bout until the experienced Konkco figured him out in the second round.
Once the Tsolo-born Mthatha-based champion discovered that the Duncan Village prospect had no idea on how to protect himself from his left hook, the fight became one-way traffic.
Konkco wobbled Ngamntwini twice in the third round, with the unbeaten prospect surviving by holding on for dear life.
But Konkco ended matters in the fourth with a sickening left hook that left Ngamntwini sprawled on the canvas where he was attended to by ringside doctors before making it to his feet.
Other results: Ludumo Lamati bt Bulelani Nama TKO 2 (bantam); Azinga Fuzile bt Sibusiso Khumalo (feather); Siphosethu Mvula bt Tapiwa Tembo (IBO Intercontinental junior-feather); Sipho Taliwe bt Viwe Mdletyeni TKO 3 (light); Aphiwe Msengwana bt Anda Ketevu TKO 4 (feather).
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