By Ron Jackson

South African boxing has once again suffered with a limited number of tournaments and some being canceled after fighters have withdrawn from matchups due to the Coranavirus pandemic. One must congratulate the promoters, officials, boxers, and others who helped to keep boxing alive under very difficult circumstances.

Review of the Year

At the end of the year only four South African fighters,  Ayanda Ndulani (IBO minimumweight), Gideon Buthelezi (IBO junior bantamweight), Ludumo Lamati (IBO junior featherweight) and Ayanda Nkosi (WBF lightweight) held world titles, but they were all from lesser organizations.

Buthelezi has not defended his belt since July 2019 and Nkosi has not defended the belt since he won it September 2019.

In major organization belt fights all three South Africans, DeeJay Kriel (IBF light flyweight), Moruti Mthalane (IBF flyweight), and Azinga Fuzile (IBF junior lightweight) lost. Mthalane one of South Africa’s greatest flyweights lost his belt in an upset against the comparative 15 fight novice Sunny Edwards, with Kriel and Fuzile losing in challenges for an IBF belt.

Despite the tough Covid conditions and in a poor economic climate, local promoters managed to keep the sport afloat.

There are 347 active registered fighters in South Africa at present, 324 locals and 23 foreigners.

Among the promoters who staged tournaments were:

Golden Gloves Promotions – Rodney Berman
BRD Promotions – Manny Fernandes
TLB Promotions – Joyce Kungwane
Xaba Promotions –Ayanda Matiti
Maxim Promotions – Alan Cizungu
Insane Boxing Promotions- Savva Savvas
Rumble Africa Promotions – Terris Ntutu
Starline Promotions – Zandile Malinga
Tewo Promotions – Happy Two

Number of tournaments during 2021 

There were 37 tournaments in South Africa during the year, with the following breakdown. 

Gauteng – 13
Eastern Cape – 10
Western Cape – 3
KwaZulu-Natal – 8
Free State – None
Limpopo – 1
Mpumalanga – 2

Boxer of the Year:  Ludumo Lamati 

Fight of the Year:  In a toe-to-toe grueling encounter, South Africa’s Ludumo Lamati showed tremendous courage to only just survive the last two rounds against Mexico’s Jose Martin Estrada Garcia, to win the vacant IBO junior featherweight belt, on a majority 12-round point’s decision at Emperors Palace on Saturday 19 June. .

Prospect of the Year:  Even though he holds the South African and IBF Continental Africa junior middleweight titles, Shervanta Koopman has shown outstanding skills in only a nine-fight career.

Upset of the Year: The betting favorite Azinga Fuzile losing in his challenge for the IBF junior lightweight belt on 27 November in New York.  Fuzile lost in his bid to become the only current South African fighter to hold a major organization world title when he was beaten on a unanimous 12 round points decision by Japan’s Kenichi Ogawa in a clash for the vacant IBF junior lightweight belt, at the Hulu Theater at the Madison Square Garden in New York. Ogawa 26-1-1; 8 was in control through most of the fight and scored a knockdown in the fifth round. The South African managed to beat the count and was sent down on two occasions in the twelfth as he managed to hold until the final bell. The scores were 115-110 twice and 114-111.

Knockout of the Year:  On Saturday 4 December at Emperors Palace near Kempton Park the unbeaten heavyweight Juan Roux from Cape Town knocked out Wilhem Nebe at two minutes seventeen seconds into the first round. In his next fight Roux with only five victories under his belt, upset the form book when he won the South African heavyweight title on a 12 round split decision against defending champion Tian Fick.

Poorest decision of the year: In one of the poorest decisions in the South African ring in recent years, Ayanda Ndulani retained the IBO minimumweight belt on a split decision over fellow South African Siphamandla Baleni at the International Convention Centre in East London on Saturday night, 27 November. Many were of the opinion that Baleni had done more than enough to take the decision and the title. 

Trainer of the Year: Vuzi Mtolo from the RUB Gym in Edenvale.

Best fight venue: Emperors Palace near Kempton Park and the East London International Convention Centre which always create a tremendous vibe despite the limited number of fans in attendance due to the Coronavirus.  

Media: SuperSport once again made it possible for boxing enthusiasts in South Africa and the rest of Africa to watch live television coverage with the screening of some local fights and world title matches from overseas, as well as repeat broadcasts, of SA tournaments and fights abroad. 

The Supersport boxing website continued to report on boxing in South Africa and the rest of the world and included many interesting features on the history of boxing and the lives of local and foreign fighters.  More than 250 items were placed from local sources plus a number of items from around the world.

Boxing writer Bongani Magasela from The Sowetan once again under difficult conditions continued to keep boxing alive in reporting on the sport and so did Mesuli Zifo of the Daily Dispatch, despite limited activity.

South Africa’s number one record keeper Andre de Vries must be complimented for his dedicated application in keeping the records of all South African fighters up to date. He also has the thankless job of compiling the monthly ratings for Boxing SA with limited active fighters and tournaments.

Howard Goldberg from Cape Town the President of the World Boxing Federation which is considered one of the lesser organizations must also be complimented in sanctioning 45 of one or other WBF title fights throughout the world, with 21 of those in Africa. 

Ring officials: Referee Deon Dwarte from Cape Town continued to perform in a competent manner as a referee and judge. 

Mismatches of the Year: Zolani Tete W ko 1 (55 seconds) Iddi Kayumba (Tanzania), Xolisani Ndongeni W ko 1 Israel Kammwamba (Malawi), and Lusanda Komanisi W tko 7 Kabelo Bikitsha (South Africa).

It was also sad to see the 43-year-old former South African heavyweight champion Osbourne Machimana being used as cannon fodder. He has lost his last six fights inside the distance if you include the one against Ruann Visser which was subsequently changed to a no contest. In 2021 he traveled overseas and was knocked out by Danila Semenov at 2:38 of the first round and at 2:56 of the third round by Sergey Kharitonov. According to Boxrec Semenov had a record of 2-0 and Kharitonov was having his second fight.

Saddest Moment of the Year: The passing of one of South Africa’s finest talents and three-time world champion Lehlohonolo Ledwaba a few days before his 50th birthday and Olympic Games representative and former South African middleweight champion Giovanni Pretorius at 49. The passing of Andre Thysse a former South African and Commonwealth super middleweight champion at the age of 52 was another sad moment for South African boxing. And so was that of one of South Africa’s finest managers and promoters Mzimasi Mnguni.  

RESULTS OF ALL SA TITLE FIGHTS IN 2021 

Heavyweight:  18 December – Juan Roux beat Tian Fick, pts 12, Cape Town.

Junior heavyweight: Nil 

Light heavyweight: Nil

Super middleweight: 14 March – Ryno Liebenberg beat Rowan Campbell, tko 8, Kempton Park.

25 September -Cowin Ray beat Frank Rodrigues, rtd 9, Kempton Park. (vacant title).

Middleweight: Nil

Junior middleweight: Shervantaigh Koopman beat  Simon Dladla, ko 7, Kempton Park.

Welterweight: Nil        

Junior Welterweight: 20 March – Sibusiso Prince Dlomo beat Xolani Mcotheli pts 12, Randfontein.

26 Sept- Sibusiso Prince Dlomo beat Siseko Makelani pts 12, Booysens, Johannesburg.

Lightweight:  28 May – Tshifhiwa Munyai beat Khaya Busakwa, tko 9, Sandton.

31 October – Tshifhiwa Munyai beat Sanele Msimang, ko 4, Booysens, Johannesburg.

 Junior lightweight: Nil

Featherweight: 26 September – Asanda Ginqi beat Abdul Aziz Kunert, pts 12 Booysens, Johannesburg.

Junior featherweight: Nil

Bantamweight: Nil

Junior bantamweight:  Nil

Flyweight: 24 April – Jackson Chauke beat Luyanda Ntwanambi, pts 12, Gqeberha, (Port Elizabeth).

Junior flyweight:  22 May – Siphamandla Baleni beat Nwabisile Cholani, tko 11, East London.

Oct 1: Siphamandla Baleni beat Mpumelelo Tshabalala, pts 12, Johannesburg.

Minimumweight:   10 July – Bangile Nyangani beat Siyaholwas Kuse, pts 12, East London.

COMMONWEALTH TITLE FIGHTS

Featherweight: Nov 26 – Thembani Mbangatha L ko 9 Nathaniel Collins (England), Bolton, England. 

SA BOXERS IN ‘WORLD’ TITLE FIGHTS IN 2021 

Minimumweight: May 21 – Ayanda Ndulani won tko 4 Nkosinathi Joyi (South Africa), East London. (vacant IBO minimumweight title).

Nov 27 – Ayanda Ndulani beat Siphamandla Baleni (South Africa) pts 12, East London. (IBO minimumweight title).

Light flyweight: Jan 2 – DeeJay Kriel lost tko 10, Felix Alvarado (Nicaragua), Dallas, Texas (IBF light flyweight title).  

Flyweight: April 30 – Moruti Mthalane lost pts 12, Sunny Edwards (England), London. (IBF flyweight title)

Junior featherweight: June 19 – Ludumo Lamati beat Jose Martin Estrada Garcia (Mexico), pts 12, Kempton Park. (vacant IBO junior featherweight title) 

Junior lightweight: Apr 23 – Khanyile Bulana lost tko 1, Michael Magnesi (Italy), Zagarolo, Italy. (IBO junior lightweight title).

Nov 27 – Azinga Fuzile lost pts 12, Kenichi Ogawa (Japan), New York. (vacant IBF junior lightweight title)

LAST BELL 

Ewie (Evan) Vorster (died in October 2020), Jacob Mazibuko, Ernest Moledi, Mzimasi Mnguni, Ron Ellis, Thulani Magudulela, Louis Fourie, Jimmy Abbott, Bennie Knoetze, Anthony Sithole, Bogiwe Colani, Neville Hotz, Lehlohonolo Ledwaba, Andre Thysse, Giovanni Pretorius, Chris Pondo, Marcel Schubach, Victor Mpiyakhe.