By Ron Jackson

Moruti Mthalane who has a strong claim to the greatest flyweight fighter in the history of South African boxing is a worthy Supersport boxer of the year.

Even at the age of 37, Mthalane had an outstanding 2019 with two successful defences of his IBF flyweight belt against Masayuki Kuroda (UD 12) and Akira Yaegashi (tko 9) both from Japan, in his second reign as IBF flyweight champion.

Review of the Year

Rather sadly the boxing year we have just experienced, is once again one of the poorest in the history of South African boxing, with standards at a low ebb, with a few exceptions. 

However, one must accept that due to the high cost of importing top class fighters to South Africa and the negative exchange rate, promoters can only afford to promote fights with the lesser world bodies and lesser titles.

There have been only five fights in 2019, with a South African challenging or winning one of the major organization titles on offer.

Possibly most people have forgotten that DeeJay Kriel traveled to Los Angeles in February and upset the form book in stopping Mexico’s Carlos Licona for the IBF minimumweight belt. However, rather sadly he relinquished the belt and has only had one fight since, in November this year against a fighter who has lost seven of his eleven fights.  

In October, Simpiwe Konco made a gallant challenge for the WBC minimumweight belt against Wanheng Menayothin (aka Chayaphon Moonsri) who has a record of 53-0, one of the best in the history of boxing, but was well beaten on wide margins over 12 rounds. 

In what was a tragedy for South African boxing, the highly regarded Zolani Tete was stopped in three rounds in November by Filipino John Riel Casimero to lose his WBO bantamweight belt.

The only highlight in world terms for South African boxing was Mthalane winning his two IBF title fights in 2019.

At present, the only other South African’s to hold “world” titles are Kevin Lerena (IBO junior-heavyweight), Gideon Buthelezi (IBO junior bantamweight), Ayanda Nkosi (WBF lightweight), Nkosinathi Joyi (IBO minimumweight) and Moruti Mthalane (IBF flyweight).

It is a rather sad indictment of the current depression in South African boxing when an outstanding world class fighter like Hekkie Budler has not fought this year and DeeJay Kriel, Zolani Tete, Thulani Mbenge and Simpiwe Konco have only fought once during 2019, and all except Kriel have ended on the losing side.

Despite tough conditions in a poor economic climate, the local promoters managed to keep the sport afloat, staging 19 national title bouts, but unfortunately there were only 6 “world” title fights on South African soil and three were IBO cruiserweight champion Kevin Lerena who made three successful defenses of his belt at Emperor’s Place.  

In the 17 SA weight divisions, there were no fights at junior flyweight, featherweight, super middleweight and junior heavyweight. 

Number of tournaments during 2019 

There were 67 tournaments in South Africa during the year, with the following breakdown for the year:

Gauteng – 26
Eastern Cape – 20
Western Cape – 11
KwaZulu-Natal – 6
Free State – 3
Limpopo – 1

Boxer of the Year:  Moruti Mthalane the only South African fighter to currently hold one of the main organisation titles.  

Fight of the Year:  Boyd Allen against Tristan Truter in the 4@war quarter-final at Emperors Palace.

Prospect of the Year:  Featherweight Abdul-Aziz Kunert from Cape Town who is now unbeaten in ten fights. 

Promoter of the Year: Ayandi Matiti and Thembalethu Ntuthu have kept boxing alive in the Eastern Cape with some quality tournaments and Alan Toweel Jr. and Dida Dipheko who have put together some cracking small hall tournaments in Gauteng.

Upset of the Year: Zolani Tete losing his WBO bantamweight belt 

Mismatch of the Year:  Dec 16 – Simon Dladla beat Khensamahosi Makondo, tko 2 at Itabazwe, Harrismith to win the vacant South African junior middleweight title and on Sep 21, Kevin Lerena stopping the 40-year-old Sefer Seferi (Albania) in three rounds at Kempton Park in defence of his IBO cruiserweight belt. 

Knockout of the Year:  Jul 27 – Jackson Chauke beat Sihle Jelwana, ko 1, East London and in the first semi-final of 4@War, at Emperors Palace, Kempton Park, Brandon Thysse beat Roarke Knapp by way of a knockout at 2:10 into the 7th round after Knapp went down for a 3rd time.

Manager/Trainer of the Year: Colin Nathan.

Best fight venue: The Orient Theatre in East London which is aptly described as “The Mecca of Boxing” and Emperors Palace near Kempton Park which always creates a tremendous vibe.  

Media: SuperSport again made it possible for boxing enthusiasts in South Africa and the rest of Africa to watch live television coverage, as well as repeat broadcasts, of SA tournaments and some fights abroad. Supersport also continued to report on all major fights around the world and South Africa, on the Supersport boxing website. 

Boxing writers Bongani Magasela and Mesuli Zifo have once again as always made a major contribution to keep boxing alive in reporting on the sport in Gauteng and the Eastern Cape.

South Africa’s number one record keeper Andre de Vries must be complimented for his tireless work in keeping the records and ratings of all South African fighters up to date. 

Ring officials: Referee Deon Dwarte from Cape Town continued to perform in a competent manner as a referee and judge in South Africa and abroad and could possibly be rated as the number one official in South Africa. 

Another official who must be commended is Alan Matekane from the Eastern Cape who always has had a good presence in the ring over the past 17 years.

Most courageous performance: Xolani Mcotheli retaining his South Africa junior welterweight title using just one hand after his shoulder was dislocated in the fourth round, in his bout against Marcus Lebogo at Mdantsane Indoor Centre. 

Bizarre moment of the year: On December 16 in Cape Town, before South African heavyweight champion Ruann Visser was scheduled to defend his title against Tian Fick he climbed into the ring and leaned against the ropes as is customary for fighters before a fight, the top rope broke and the 2.09m-tall and 120kg boxer fell backwards out of the ring. 

RESULTS OF ALL SA TITLE FIGHTS IN 2019 

Heavyweight:  Jun 23 – Ruann Visser beat Justice Siliga, tko 1 at Pretoria.

Junior heavyweight: no fights

Light heavyweight: Jun 16 – Nicholas Radley beat Frank Rodrigues, tko 12, at Cape Town.

Super middleweight: no fights

Middleweight:  Oct 20 – Nkululeko Mhlongo beat Walter Dlamini, tko 4, at Pretoria.                                                                                                                                                          

Junior middleweight: Dec 16 – Simon Dladla beat Khensamahosi Makondo, tko 2, at Itabazwe, Harrismith

Welterweight:    Mar 31 – Mziwoxolo Ndwayana beat Odwa Gaxa, tko 8, at Uitenhage.         

Junior Welterweight: Oct 6 – Xolisani Mcotheli beat Marcus Lebogo, pts 12, at Mdantsane.

Lightweight:  Jun 30 – Ayanda Nkosi beat Thompson Mokwana, tko 6, at Kwa Thema, Springs. 

Junior lightweight: Apr 7 – Phila Mpontshana beat Koos Sibiya, pts 12, at Port Elizabeth.

Featherweight: no fights

Junior featherweight: Mar 30 – Thato Bonokoane, Draw, 12 Innocent Matengu, at Kagiso, Krugersdorp.

However, the officials at ringside erred, as in terms of the South African Boxing Act 2001 (Act No. 11 of 2001) as listed on the Boxing SA website – in a championship fight for a vacant title if a bout ends in a draw, each judge shall nominate a winner and the winner of the bout shall be the boxer nominated as the winner by the majority vote of the judges. (Page 84 No 26161 Government Gazette, 26 March 2004 Decision 35).

Jun 28 – Innocent Mantengu beat Thato Bonokoane, pts 12 at Kagiso, Krugersdorp.

Sep 29 – Ayabonga Sonjika beat Innocent Matengu, pts 12 at East London.

Bantamweight: May 17 – Ronald Malindi beat Cleutus Mbhele, pts 12 at Sandton.

Sep 29 – Ronald Malindi beat Michael Daries, pts 12 at East London.

Junior bantamweight: Mar 17 – Sabelo Ngebiyana, beat Sikho Nqothole, ko 6 at East London. 

Flyweight: Apr 28 – Jackson Chauke beat Thabang Ramagole, tko 9 at East London.

Jul 27 – Jackson Chauke beat Sihle Jelwana, ko 1, at East London.

Junior flyweight:   no fights

Minimumweight:   Jul 28 – Xolisa Magushe beat Siyaholwa Kuse, pts 12, at East London.

Sep 28 – Sibusiso Bandla beat Xolisa Magushe, pts 12, at East London

Dec 16 – Siyakholwa Kuse beat Sibusiso Bandla, tko 5, at East London.

SA BOXERS IN ‘WORLD’ TITLE FIGHTS IN 2019 

Minimumweight 

Feb 16: DeeJay Kriel beat Carlos Licona (Mexico), tko 12 at Los Angeles (IBF mini flyweight title)

Oct 25 – Simpiwe Konkco, lost pts 12, Wanheng Menayothin (Thailand), at Chonburi, Thailand. (WBC mimimumweight title). 

Dec 16:  Nkosinathi Joyi, beat Joey Canoy (Philippines), pts 12 at East London, (IBO mini flyweight title). 

Flyweight: 

May 13: Moruti Mthalane beat Masayuki Kuroda (Japan), pts 12 at Tokyo, Japan. (IBF flyweight title).

Dec 23: Moruti Mthalane beat Akira Yaegashi (Japan), tko 9 at Yokohama, Japan. (IBF flyweight title)

Junior bantamweight: 

June 26: Gideon Buthelezi beat Adrian Jiminez (Mexico), tko 1 at East London. (IBO junior bantamweight title).

Bantamweight:

Nov 30: Zolani Tete, lost tko 3, John Riel Casimero (Philippines), at Birmingham, England. (WBO bantamweight title).

Junior lightweight

Mar 23 – Rofhiwa Maemu, lost tko 5, Shavkatdzhon Rakhimov (Tajikistan), at Ekateringburg, Russia. (IBO junior lightweight title).

Dec 12 – Bongani Mahlangu, lost pts 12, Patrick Kinigamazi (Rwanda), at Geneva, Switzerland. (WBF junior lightweight).

Lightweight

Sep 28 – Ayanda Nkosi beat Emanuel Lopez (Mexico) rtd 7, at Johannesburg, South Africa. (vacant WBF lightweight title)

Welterweight

July 6 – Thulani Mbenge, lost pts 12, Sebastian Formella (Germany), at Hamburg, Germany. (IBO welterweight title).

Junior welterweight

Nov 17 – Michael Mokoena, lost tko 8, Daud Cino Yordon (Indonesia), at Baku, Indonesia. (IBA junior welterweight title)

Cruiserweight

Mar 17 – Kevin Lerena beat Artur Mann (Germany), tko 4, at Kempton Park, South Africa. (IBO cruiserweight title).

June 8 – Kevin Lerena beat Vasil Ducar (Czech Republic), pts 12, at Kempton Park. (IBO cruiserweight title).

Sep 21 – Kevin Lerena beat Sefer Seferi (Albania), tko 3, at Kempton Park. (IBO cruiserweight title).

LAST BELL 

Hennie Loubscher (26/10/2018), Balanganani “Bonecrusher” Ndou, Joseph Lala, Naas Botes, Mthunzi Maphitza, Richard “Kid” Borias, Ruben Rasodi, Leighandre Jegels, Guy Ratazayo, Makhosi Ngcoza,