Mzi gives Grahamstown much to cheer about

History was made at the weekend when the sleepy town of Grahamstown produced its first ever national boxing champion when Mziwoxolo Ndwayana won the SA welterweight title in Johannesburg.

Ndwayana captured the title with an impressive eight rounds stoppage win over Sean Ness at Portuguese Hall in Johannesburg on Sunday.

The title had been vacated by Mdantsane’s Thulani Mbenge after winning the IBO crown.

Having failed to topple Mbenge when he lost on points and Tsiko Mulovhedzi when he was stopped in five rounds, Ndwayana made sure that he would not be denied the third time.

His father and manager Bulelani Ndwayana, who manned the corner with Lunga Sikonyela, said the strategy was to box a disciplined fight and not rush for a stoppage.

“We wanted to let Ness get frustrated and give up himself,” he said.

Ness suffered a cut in round five but Ndwayana still bid his time varying his attack to the body and head.

As the rounds progressed Ness disintegrated and in round seven he was nailed with a barrage of punches until the bell came to his rescue.

But in the following round, Ndwayana closed the show when he forced the referee to intervene to stop the bout which he had dominated from the first round.

Ndwayana senior could not hide his delight at his son’s coronation saying it wiped off the bitter taste of losing to Mbenge and Mulovhedzi.

“The boy is matured now so he is able to bid his time in the ring and not blindly rush to finish off his opponents.”

● Another Eastern Cape fighter in the same tournament, Mbulelo Dyani, was not so lucky.

Dyani lost a points decision to Ronald Malindi for the vacant SA bantamweight title.

He earned the title shot after he nearly dethroned then champion Toto Helebe who later relinquished the crown for Dyani to battle for it with Malindi.

He’s able to bide his time in the ring and not blindly rush to finish off his rivals