‘VV’ camp puts allcomers on notice

SIMPIWE “V12” Vetyeka’s new camp has issued a chilling warning to other featherweight Super 4 contestants to forget about winning it.

Vetyeka is currently training in Johannesburg with Sean Smith for his first round clash against Lerato Dlamini at Emperors Palace on October 21.

In the other semifinal berth, Duncan Village golden boy Azinga Fuzile faces Tshifhiwa Munyai.

But it is Vetyeka who is among fan favourites to walk away with the R500 000 first prize for the final which will be contested next February.

This even though, at 37 years of age, he is the oldest fighter in the series.

To add to that, Vetyeka has been inactive, having last fought in April last year when he beat Japanese boxer, Tsuyoshi Tameda.

To boost his chances of winning, his Irish manager, Gary Hyde approached Smith to help train the Mdantsane boxer to be in the best shape of his career.

And so far Smith likes what he is seeing in training.

“We have been together for five weeks now, and I can safely say Vetyeka’s timing is superb,” he said.

“He is an old warhorse who knows what he wants so training him is a breeze because, at his age, he does not need to be pushed.”

There was concern that Hyde may take Vetyeka out of Smith’s gymnasium after his other charge, Youri Kalenga lost a controversial decision to Smith-trained Kevin Lerena in an IBO cruiserweight title clash last month.

The outcome received condemnation in certain boxing quarters, prompting Hyde to lodge an official complaint to the IBO.

But Smith said there was never talk about Vetyeka being taken away from his club due to the Kalenga-Lerena outcome.

“No, not at all. I guess Gary understands that we had nothing to do with the outcome. In fact, if anything, I think Lerena’s win affirmed that his decision to let Vetyeka train with us was a correct one.”

Vetyeka, a former three-time world champion having held the IBO in the bantamweight and featherweight divisions and becoming the first ever SA boxer to win the WBA super title when he dethroned Indonesian legend Chris John, has seen his aspirations for another world title shot fizzle out due to inactivity.

He was already rated as high as the third spot in the WBA for the crown held by Mexican Leo Santa Cruz.

But, according to Smith, Vetyeka now has an opportunity to go back to the boxing summit.

And he is not particularly worried about facing Dlamini.

“To be honest with you, Dlamini will find the going a bit tough in this series,” he said.

“I think he may win one or two rounds against Vetyeka. After that it will be a one-way traffic.”

Vetyeka has lost just three times in 32 bouts, while Dlamini has fought less than half of Vetyeka’s bouts, with a single loss in 10 fights.