Funeka throws away his career Loss to Horn proves devastating blow
THIS past December Ali Funeka’s camp cried bitterly after his knockout loss to Australian Jeff Horn as a multi-dollar deal was already in the pipeline for him to challenge boxing great Manny Pacquiao.
His promoter, Ayanda Matiti of Xaba Promotions and Events, had convinced Hall of Fame promoter Bob Arum, who guides Pacquiao, to give him a chance and the American veteran promoter was willing only if Funeka fulfilled his end of the bargain by beating Horn.
But the 38-year-old Mdantsane veteran capitulated in perhaps his most important moment of his boxing career when he was stopped in six rounds by Horn on the undercard of the WBO world heavyweight title clash between Joseph Parker and Andy Ruiz.
Now Horn is scheduled to take Funeka’s spot as Pacquiao’s opponent, although no deal has been struck as yet.
With the loss, the mega bout Funeka was chasing against Pacquiao went up in smoke.
So is his retirement package, which would have seen him finally hanging up his boxing gloves for good, along with a comfortable lifestyle. “I am gutted,” Matiti said. “Had Funeka beaten Horn and fought Pacquiao he would not have needed to work anymore. Now I do not know what will become of him because already some people feel he has overstayed his welcome in the ring.”
Indeed Matiti did not throw Funeka to the wolves even after his stunning fifth round stoppage defeat by unheralded Tsiko Mulovhedzi when he surrendered his IBO welterweight crown.
This when Funeka claimed that Mulovhedzi used muti to beat him when his legs could not support him throughout the five rounds of the fight.
Funeka was down five times before the fight was stopped.
Some detractors felt Funeka should have hanged them right then but Matiti opted to give him another chance – arguably more than Mulovhedzi himself was afforded.
Using his astute management skills, Matiti surprisingly secured Funeka the Horn fight with even his peers dismissing the fight taking place when it was initially reported by the Daily Dispatch.
There has been an argument that Matiti is world class when it comes to securing big fights for his boxers but lacks the clientele to reciprocate his sterling work.
His uncanny ability to guide his boxers to success when least expected is nothing short of shrewdness.
For instance, no one believed that retired Lwandile Sityatha would go on and win a national title much less a world crown.
But some feel he was not only pushing it to manouvre the 38-year-old veteran to a clash against Pacquiao but he was violently shoving it.
With the exception of his loss to Mulovhedzi, signs that Father Time had caught up with Funeka resurfaced when he had to pick himself off the canvas to score a stoppage win over Ghanaian Justice Addy in Queenstown in August.
Although he is clearly past his prime, Funeka will likely continue fighting as he looks to wind down a career that achieved nothing although through no fault of his own.
Funeka fought for the IBF world lightweight crown three times, coming short on three occasions in dubious circumstances.
This when two of his opponents Nate Campbell and Joan Guzman came in overweight for their clashes.
In the second Guzman fight, Funeka was robbed of a decision he clearly won but instead the bout was scored a draw.
“I think God had plans for me to make up for all those unfortunate incidents that happened in my career,” said Funeka before the Horn fight.
But now all has gone down the drain.