Phila aims to give his detractors right hook
SA title-holder set to prove the skeptics wrong about him
Phila Mpontshane is probably one of the few boxers who has his critics wanting him to fail every time he steps into the ring.
But it is those negative sentiments that are driving him to work even harder.
“I know some people wish for me to lose every time I fight,” he admits.
“That does not bother me at all. In fact I use it as a motivation to work even harder.”
It is rather surprising that Mpontshane has so many detractors, as the reigning SA junior-lightweight champion is one of the most eloquent and well-mannered boxers in the land. In fact, when Mpontshane speaks people listen because everything that comes out his mouth is well-thought and makes sense.
He is also one of the more disciplined boxers in the region, who takes his training very seriously.
There is no denying that Mpontshane speaks his mind and that has led to him butting heads with some of his fans.
He recently engaged in a fierce verbal exchange with a fan on social media.
The fan eventually declared: “I will ask God to take care of you.” But Mpontshane replied with a comment of his own: “God is for all of us”.
Mpontshane said the fan got under his skin and expected him to lie down and be trampled upon like a doormat.
The extent of the negative approach from fans was evident when Mpontshane defended his
SA title against
Koos Sibiya in June at Orient Theatre in East London.
Sections of the hall erupted into boos when Mpontshane was announced the winner.
This despite the fact that Sibiya clearly did not do enough to leave the ring a clear winner.
Mpontshane returns to the venue on October 21 when he defends his crown against Free State’s Anthony Moloisane.
He does not expect a warm reception from fans even though he will be fighting a boxer from outside the region.
“Yes I expect some to cheer for this guy even though he is not from here,” he admits.
“People cheered for Sibiya even though he is from Gauteng and wished that he had beaten me although he did not.”
Actually Mpontshane would have been happy if he was fighting a rematch with Sibiya instead.
He has been expressing his desire to set the record straight, although in essence, there is no record to set straight, as he had won that fight, albeit not impressively.
But Sibiya has been making noises in Johannesburg newspapers claiming that he was robbed. “It is for that reason that I want to give him a rematch,” says Mpontshane.
For now Mpontshane needs to beat Moloisane more convincingly to make his haters eat humble pie.
He knows every punch Moloisane throws will be cheered even it does not land, as was the case with Sibiya.
In fact, all Sibiya did in their clash was to act busy, landing virtually nothing on his opponent that could have convinced the judges.
At times he would even be busy with his legs as he hopped up and down drawing laughter from the crowd, while Mpontshane waited for him.
He will need to wait for the Moloisane bout to put one over his haters and to shove some humble pie down the throat of his detractors.