MESULI ZIFO
Xolisani “Nomeva” Ndongeni insisted he would not change his mind about retiring despite scoring an impressive seventh-round stoppage of Chumani Tunzi in their junior-welterweight clash at the Jan Smuts Stadium in KuGompo City on Saturday.
Ndongeni, who recently celebrated his 36th birthday, was in control all the way, t hough Tunzi, who took the fight as a late substitute after Sanele Msimang withdrew due to injury , had his moments.
Renowned for whirlwind punching, which was expected to give Ndongeni anxious moments, the southpaw Tunzi was able to get in with his volleys.
But the difference in experience was evident as Ndongeni, who was fighting in a 42 bout, used his bagful of tricks to get out of harm’s way.
Ndongeni admitted that Tunzi gave him a tough fight, which brought out the animal in him.
“I thought the fight would be fought at a slow pace just to entertain the fans. But I saw that Tunzi wanted to knock me out, and that is when I decided to fight fire with fire,” he said.
“As I said, I wanted an opponent whose career would not be destroyed after losing to me but enhanced, and I think Tunzi’s stock has risen after such a gutsy performance.”
Ndongeni said he decided to press the action in the middle rounds, especially after switching his attack to the body, which he had ignored in the early going. When I concentrated on the body, I could see that I was breaking him down.
“For some reason, I do not know why, I did not work on the body in the early rounds.”
After taking big punches that drove him onto the back foot, Tunzi’s corner threw in the towel in the seventh round to rescue him, marking his second stoppage loss in a row after he turned his back against Aphiwe Mboyiya in six rounds in August.
Ndongeni insisted the fight was his last and he would not be lured back into the ring regardless of the lucrative offers he was getting.
“This is it for me, and I am glad I went out with a bang by scoring a stoppage.”
Meanwhile, Nhlanhla Tyirha’s world-crowning moment after a three-year wait was anti-climactic when a clash of heads left him with a deep gash, forcing the premature stoppage of his IBO mini-flyweight title fight against Nhlakanipho Kunene.
Tyirha had built a healthy lead when the ringside doctor advised referee Allen Makatakane to halt proceedings in the 10th round.
Tyirha led by scores of 90-80, 89-81 and 87-83 to finally realise his world dream, which was shattered when he was knocked out by Malawian journeyman George Kandulo in 2023.
KwaZulu-Natal boxer Lindelani Sibisi convincingly retained his SA featherweight title against Makhanda’s Bongani Fule.
Scores were 118-110 twice and 117-111 in a low-key fight which had been preceded by a boardroom battle when Siyabulela Hem wanted to get first preference due to his status as the SA junior-featherweight champion.
Siseko Teyisi added a third belt to his collection when he won the WBC youth junior-flyweight title by beating Filipino Neel Jacamos on points.
Scores were 78-74 across the board to give Teyisi another belt in addition to his SA and IBF intercontinental trinkets.
Sharadene Fortuin bested Alice Mbewe in their bantamweight title clash to become the first SA boxer to win a WBC international women’s title.
The judges gave Seymour-born Fortuin, who is based in KuGompo City, a clear win with scores of 98-91, 97-92 and 96-93. — Additional reporting by Anathi Wulushe
