Bruiser Seroka warns challengers
REIGNING national boxing champion Jasper Seroka says any of the top 10 contenders in SA’s junior lightweight rankings are welcome to try and dethrone him, but they will fall.
ANY of the top 10 contenders in SA’s junior lightweight rankings are welcome to try and dethrone reigning national champion Jasper Seroka, but they will fall by the wayside just like David Rajuili, Seroka warned after demolishing the challenger in 10 rounds with a technical knockout.
“I am waiting, they can come but they will fail because I am more focused than ever before,” said the former African Boxing Union (ABU) champion after his third defence in North West.
Seroka’s previous defence — his mandatory one against Koos Sibiya in August — was filled with drama as boxing aficionados believed that Sibiya suffered a rough decision. But against Rajuili, the former ABU champion was untouchable. Rajuili, the No 4 contender, will have no one to blame if anything happens to him after taking such a pounding when he could have given up earlier. He was under no pressure to stay in the ring when it had become clear by the eighth round he needed at least two knockdowns to level the scores.
That was not going to happen because he just cannot punch. He had little chance of outboxing Seroka over 12 rounds because he had lost his first six rounder against Sibusiso Zingange in March. Yet he was facing a smart veteran of 30 bouts who was involved in his 11th 12rounder. Seroka was modest in his praises of Rajuili who suffered his fourth loss with six wins and a draw.
“I like David. He has a big heart and he came to fight. I caught him with good shots but he kept coming forward,” said Seroka after his 12th short-route win in 26 victories against four losses. Referee Jaap van Nieuwenhuizen said he had intended to stop the fight in the eighth round, but Rajuili told him that he was still fine. The 23-year-old eventually conceded defeat just before the bell went to end the 10th round.
The bout headlined an eight-bout card that was staged by BRD Promotions to honour legendary Norman “Pangaman” Sekgapane.
Seroka’s stablemate at Manny Fernandes’s gym, Hansie Carr, stopped Moses Kamara from Botswana in the first round of their six rounder in the junior middleweight international bout.
Other results: Luvo Ntlebi beat Lusindiso Mlamla TKO in three; Jimmy Hamela (SA) beat Thato Monabana (Bots) TKO in four; Stanley Motsuenyane beat Thendo Mullma TKO in two; Nkosinathi Ntshangase beat Kagiso Tebogo points over four rounds. In the female section Ugandan Nathaline Banie beat Bukiwe Nonina (SA) on points over six rounds