Fighter easily tips scales after his disappearing act
THE rumour that circulated this week about Lusanda Komanisi’ s weight struggle proved to be off the mark when the Mdantsane boxer easily made the weight at the final weigh-in ceremony at Mdantsane Motion Fitness yesterday afternoon.
The weigh-in ceremony was for his WBO intercontinental featherweight championship against unbeaten Filipino Jhack Tepora which will be held at the Orient Theatre this evening.
Komanisi had bunked the premedical on Tuesday, fuelling perceptions he was battling with the scales.
He switched off his cellphone when his promoter Ayanda Matiti demanded that he come to the premedical.
The rumour was reinforced by his inability to make the weight in his last bout against Tello Dithebe, ending with the fight being contested in the catchweight.
Although Komanisi won the fight by a stoppage, there were uncertainties about his continued campaign in the featherweight division, whose limit is 57.15kg.
But yesterday he put paid to those concerns when he scaled 56.90kg in his first attempt.
His opponent Tepora tipped the scales at 56.50kg to give the green light for the WBO intercontinental title to be at stake.
Although Komanisi made the weight he looked severely drained invoking concerns on whether it would affect him during the fight.
But his trainer, Phumzile Matyhila, a former SA bantamweight and ABC silver flyweight champion, allayed any fears of the weight reduction playing a role in the fight.
“We are ready for anything,” he said.
Komanisi has been blighted by inactivity, which led to him being stripped of his IBO featherweight crown.
But after reuniting with Matiti’s Xaba Promotions and Events, he is back in the ring looking to resurrect his career.
The winner between him and Tepora will crack the top 10 ratings to set off for a world title challenge.
The tournament will also feature the SA junior-bantamweight title defence by Lindile Tshemese against Yanga Sigqibo.
Xolani Mcotheli, who was scheduled to defend his SA junior-welterweight crown against Gift Bhongo has been replaced by Vuyani Masondo who will face Bhongo with the African Boxing Union (ABU) title up for grabs.
Other notable boxers to feature on the bill include Athi Dumezweni and hot prospect Uyanda Nogogo.