There is something odd about Thembelani Nxoshe and rematches.
This was evident when a spirited and motivated Nxoshe produced possibly his best performance in his drawn bout against favourite Nhlanhla Ngamntwini at East London’s Orient Theatre at the weekend.
The fight was a rematch following Nxoshe’s defeat on points to the self-same opponent in December.
However, the fight which was originally scheduled as a clash for Nxoshe’s SA flyweight title, was later downgraded when Ngamntwini was found to be eligible to fight for a national title.
In the return bout – and with the title at stake – Nxoshe fought like a man possessed and should consider himself very unlucky not to be given the verdict, just when it seemed he had done enough to win.
Nxoshe floored Ngamntwini hard in the first round and could actually have got the stoppage right there, if he had pushed hard enough.
Ngamntwini recovered quite incredibly and launched a spirited fightback, where some roughhouse antics often associated with Nxoshe came to the fore.
The bout was one of contrasting styles. Nxoshe, who is renowned for resorting to dirty tactics, committed to fighting a clean fight, while Ngamtwini roughed him up on the inside, that included landing punches behind his opponent’s head on several occasions.
Despite Nxoshe’s complaints Ngamntwini continued with the roughhouse tactics, with the referee not doing anything to warn him.
Nxoshe used a measured left jab before a looping right hand hit home. The fight continued in that vein, until the final round, with Nxoshe appearing to have yet again avenged his loss. Coming in to the fight, Nxoshe had never lost twice to the same fighter, having won at least four of his previous rematches.
Nxoshe was denied by two of the judges who scored the fight in favour of Ngamtwini by 116-113 and 115-115. The third official adjudged him to have won the bout by 115-113.
Nxoshe’s trainer Amanda Magatya said he felt his charge had done enough to win the fight.
“We worked on Nxoshe’s fitness and you could see that he would have gone another 12 rounds,” he said.
“I think he was denied a deserving win but at least they did not take his title.”
Nxoshe retained his title however, by earning the draw, and will engage in a voluntary defence next as Boxing SA does not grant immediate rematches even in a case of a draw.
A third fight between the duo may be an unlikely event, as Ngamntwini is a big flyweight who has been contesting in the junior-bantamweight division.
There are also unconfirmed reports that he is struggling to make the flyweights.
In another bout, former SA mini-flyweight champion Siphamandla Baleni breathed life in to his career, boosting his aspirations of a rematch with Xolis Magusha, after outpointing Loyiso Ngantweni in a battle in the mini-flyweight division.
Baleni surrendered the title to Magusha in December last year.
Other results: Zolisa Batyi beat Aphiwe Rasmeni on points (jnr-feather); Lucas Mbokazi beat Thobela Nukwa on points (bantam); Sinethemba draw Luyanda Ntwanambi (fly); Sibusiso Bandla TKO 5 Mzukisi Mthalane (mini-fly)..