FUZILE IN CLASS OF HIS OWN IN TKO VICTORY
He retains his IBF Africa junior lightweight crown
Hard-punching 22-year-old Azinga too good for veteran Malcolm Klassen and wins in four rounds
Azinga Fuzile had promised to hand Malcolm Klassen a severe beating and he stuck to that promise when he forced him to quit in four rounds.
Making his debut under trainer Colin Nathan Fuzile exhibited a boxing artistry rarely seen in this country when he floored Klassen twice and forced him to quit only four rounds into their IBF Africa junior lightweight title clash at the Orient Theatre in East London on Sunday.
It was not what Fuzile did that enthralled the packed hall, but rather how he did it.
Showing fluidity and agility not often seen in local boxing, the 22-year-old floored Klassen in the first round with a sneaky short left hook.
The former two-time IBF champion appeared embarrassed by the fall as he picked himself up and went back to the firing line.
Klassen, whose wealth of experience showed as he used every trick in the book to turn the tide, got frustrated as the fight progressed as he was unable to land a single clean blow.
Instead, he was pulverised by a series of sneaky left hooks from his southpaw foe.
His corner manned by Benny Pailman advised him to bob and weave as he came in but that did not help either as Fuzile timed him as he came in.
A vicious uppercut floored him hard as if a rug had been pulled under his feet in the third round.
This time a defeatist attitude crept to his face as he took the count.
When he made it to his feet Fuzile charged at him, landing vicious blows, some to the body.
But the 36-year old covered up although the majority of the punches prised his defence open.
The fourth round followed a similar pattern with Klassen now even hesitant to throw punches.
Just after Fuzile landed a big punch and was about to follow up, Klassen simply turned his back and walked to his corner indicating that he had had enough.
When asked afterward why he had quit, he said he could not see with his left eye.
However, the eye appeared to be fine as it was neither bleeding nor swollen.
The win rates as arguably the best for Fuzile who showed incredible power and worldclass technique.
Nathan said the outcome was what he had predicted.
“I said I would unleash another Fuzile and what he did was out of this world,” he said.
Indeed, with that performance it is hard to imagine any boxer beating Fuzile.
The boy is simply elusive as an eel and his technique could win him a world title right now.
● In another fight that failed to raise to any heights bar the bloodied faces of the boxers, Phila Mpontshane retained his SA junior lightweight title when he out-muscled Anthony Molosiane over 12 rounds.
Scores were 119-108, 118-111 and 118-109 all in favour of Mpontshane who registered the third defence of the crown.
Mpontshane, who looks like a bodybuilder, threw wild punches, many of which missed the target.
Showing no fluidity in a division that often produces bouts contested by boxers with tremendous handspeed, Mpontshane looked stiff and could not nail the Free State boxer who obviously fought for survival. There were times when Mpontshane’s swings landed home but Molosiane took them unflinchingly.
However, as he ran from harm’s way, Molosiane stumbled and was caught off balance. In his haste to get away, he fell as Mpontshane‘s right landed in a fall which was registered as a knockdown.
Sive Nontshinga notched his fight stoppage in as many bouts when he halted Tsietsi Modisadife in the ninth round to claim his first title.
The 19-year-old fought on the backfoot and countered Modisadife as he lunged in.
In the ninth round both boxers exchanged blows and Modisadife fell in a clinch.
However, he then vomited, forcing the referee to wave the fight over.
Luyanda Ntwanambi scored a second-round stoppage over Morapeli Khotle in a walk out flyweight bout.