Fuzile at a shaky Super crossing
Handlers hope injury will heal
AFTER successfully negotiating to participate in the vaunted Featherweight Super Four (S4), Azinga Fuzile now faces a new threat that could force him to withdraw from the lucrative series.
This after he injured his left hand in his SA featherweight title defence against Rofhiwa Maemu at Orient Theatre at the weekend.
Fuzile injured his hand in round six and virtually fought the rest of the bout with one hand.
The Duncan Village star is a lefthander and getting his money punch injured meant that his offence was greatly hampered.
This even though he had a marauding opponent in front of him as Maemu used a combination of aggression and swarming style to try to fluster the young champion.
Maemu’s crowding style saw him ramming his head on Fuzile nearly breaking his nose bridge drawing blood through his nose.
But the blood was immediately stemmed before it could bother the talented champion.
Fuzile was able to use his defensive moves to easily beat Maemu by a lopsided margin with scores of 117109, 118-111, 119-111.
But the win came at a cost as it will likely prevent him from participating in the S4 for which he signed last week.
Fuzile had initially declined to participate in the four boxer-series starting on October 21 at Emperors Palace due to its clash with his Grade 12 exams.
But his management and Rodney Berman who will organise the series worked something out and his promoter Teris Ntutu and chief trainer Chief Njekanye went to Johannesburg to clinch the deal.
“Yes Fuzile’s management came to see me and signed the contract to be part of S4,” said Berman.
“To say I am excited would be an understatement. This boy is the brightest talent in the land and for him to be part of the series will just be what the doctor ordered.”
But now the 20-year-old’s participation is uncertain after the setback.
Ntutu said yesterday that Fuzile would be taken to a scan to ascertain the extent of the injury.
“We are hoping it is nothing major and that maybe it is just a strained muscle so with a little rest he will be OK,” said Ntutu.
Njekanye also allayed fears that the injury could curtail Fuzile’s participation in the series where he is pitted against former world champion Simpiwe Vetyeka, internationally experienced Tshifhiwa Munyai and boxing upstart Lerato Dlamini.
“People should not be worried about this setback,” he said.
“We still have August and September so the boy will be fine.”
There have been differing opinions about Fuzile’s participation in the series with some totally against it while others feel the stage will be good for the boy’s exposure.
Berman will attend the WBC Convention from August 31 to September 9 where he will negotiate for the winner of the series to get a title shot or at least mandatory spot.
Fuzile stretched his unbeaten record to eight fights having only burst onto the scene last September when he dethroned experienced Macbute Sinyabi for the title he retained for the second time against Maemu.