Mthatha will be the focal point of boxing action this coming weekend when it hosts its first ever world boxing title fight.
This when the son of the soil Simpiwe Konkco returns to his birthplace from Johannesburg to engage in an IBO world mini-flyweight title defence against tough Filipino Toto Landero on Sunday.
The fight at Walter Sisulu University’s Zamukulungisa Hall will become the first ever boxing world title bout to he held in the former Transkei region.
This is even though the region has produced its own share of top boxers including Konkco, former two-time IBF world champion and Qumbu-born Mzonke Fana, former IBO and current WBF champion Xolisani “Nomeva” Ndongeni who hails from KwaBhaca.
However none of those boxers have ever fought for their world titles at home until Konkco decided to break the pattern.“I am so excited to be coming back home and defend my world title in front of my people,” said Konkco.
Konkco left Mthatha after he failed to topple Hekkie Budler for the WBA and IBO mini-flyweight titles in Johannesburg in 2015.
He later joined Budler’s stable owned by Colin Nathan.
In his first fight in his new home, Konkco annexed the IBO title after it was stripped from Budler and has since retained it twice affording him an opportunity to scale the ratings of other world bodies.
A win over Landero will bring Konkco closer to the milestone of becoming the first boxer from the former Transkei region to engage in a world unification bout.
His stablemate Budler has already achieved the feat when he beat Japanese star Ryoichi Taguchi for the IBF, WBA and Ring junior-flyweight titles two months ago.
And at the weekend his other stablemate Moruti Mthalane captured the IBF world flyweight title to give Konkco a major motivation going to his moment of truth.
“What my stablemates are doing is fantastic,” he said.
“It is obvious that I am in the right place so if I do not win it will be because there is something wrong with me.”
Now 32 years old, Konkco honed his skills fighting in the Mthatha area where he would drown his opponents while defending his SA mini-flyweight title.
Then trained by Madoda Dyonase, Konkco built a reputation of being invincible when fighting at home.
He is confident that invincibility still exists and with Nathan calling the shots in front of his own family, the stage could not be better prepared.
The fight will be Nathan’s first since guiding Mthalane to a world title triumph when he beat Mohammad Waseem on Sunday.
Organisers of the fight, Last Born Promotions (LBP), OR Tambo District Municipality and SuperSport are brimming with confidence for boxing activity they will bring to the area.
“Everything is in order and we are going to Mthatha to create excitement and leave a lasting legacy,” said LBP director Xolani Mampunye...