Komanisi must now prove he certainly is no light weight
Lusanda Komanisi may relaunch his career if he beats Michael Mokoena in impressive fashion in his lightweight debut at Emperor’s Palace on Saturday.
The hard-punching boxer is one of the boxers who have jumped to the lightweight division after campaigning in the featherweight for the better part of his professional career.
Komanisi has always battled with the scales, often coming off second best.
He was squeezing himself to make the bantamweight until the gamble went rather awry when he was knocked out by the then unknown Toto Helebe.
When he later joined the late Nick Durandt, he was taken straight to the featherweight and the move proved to be a good one as he went on to win the SA and IBO world titles in the division.
However he overstayed his welcome and often squeezed his body to make the featherweight until he was again ruthlessly knocked out by Filipino Jhack Tepora.
Now he is beginning life in the lightweight hopeful of relaunching his career and move to big fights.
Saturday’s fight promoter Rodney Berman is already making plans for Komanisi if he proves his worth in the division.
“There are several interesting fights to make in the lightweight for Komanisi,” said Berman.
“But we will need to see his performance before we decide on his next move.”
The lightweight division has proven to be crowded in the country with several intriguing bouts possible.
Other boxers fighting in the division are Xolisani Ndongeni, Thompson Mokwana who holds the national title and is now Komanisi’s stablemate at Sean Smith’s gymnasium, Ayanda Nkosi, Siphosethu Mvula as well Boxing SA 2017 prospect of the year Lunga Stimela who already holds the ABU crown and is unbeaten in nine bouts.
Simpiwe Vetyeka, who made the dramatic entrance in the division with a knockout win over Mokwana, has since retired after a career-ending car crash.
But there is still plenty of opponents for Komanisi to navigate through before taking on foreign opposition.
Already Berman has hinted on a clash against Ndongeni in December and what would be an explosive bout but for East London boxing scene where both boxers have a dedicated fan-base.
But the question mark remains on whether Komanisi will be able to take the power of a lightweight.
His punching power will also be put to the test but it is his set of whiskers that will be closely monitored.
His chin had betrayed him before having suffered two of his four losses in 25 bouts by knockouts.
But he will bank on his power to carry him through as it had done in knocking out all but three of his 21 victims.
While Mokoena does not carry such a big reputation in the division, he should not be slept on as his ledger shows only two losses in 14 bouts.