Wellem destroys Zihove, Makeleni grabs EC title

Thrilling day of knock-downs during packed programme at ICC

Red-hot SA super-middleweight champion Asemahle Wellem notched his fifth victory in as many fights when he pulverised over-matched Zimbabwean Tinashe Zihove into submission in two rounds at the East London International Convention Centre on Sunday.

The fight served as a supporting bout to the IBF intercontinental junior-flyweight title clash between Nhlanhla Tyirha and Filipino Orlie Silvestre, which was yet to take place at the time of going to press.

Fresh from knocking out Cowin Ray in four rounds to win the SA crown early in October, Wellem returned to the ring to continue his impressive activity.

He sent Zihove to the canvas twice in the first round before again flooring him twice in the second to end it.

Former SA junior-welterweight challenger Siseko Makeleni dropped down to the lightweight division and showed impressive sharpness when he easily dispatched overmatched Lubabalo Bokuva to lift the vacant Eastern Cape title.

Makeleni, whose campaign in the heavier junior-welterweight division was questionable and attributed to his lack of physical training until he was stopped by Chumani Thunzi a few months after his failed bid to unseat SA champion Prince Dlomo, displayed flashes of brilliance that had tipped him as a future champion earlier in his career.

However, his weight ballooned from junior-featherweight to junior-welterweight amid reports of ill-discipline.

Though he can also fight as a junior-lightweight judging by his frame, lightweight seems to be the right division for him — he displayed the fluidity, agility and sharpness which had been missing in his junior welterweight bouts.

Bokuva had no answer to his precision punches, with the second knock-down coming from a well-timed body blow.

After being nailed by another right hand, Bokuva turned his back and cried “no mas.”

In a proper dogfight which took numerous twists, Mdantsane’s Yamkela Phaliso appeared headed for a defeat before producing a Hail Mary punch to stop Bulelani Ngondeka of Mossel Bay less than 20 seconds from the end of their featherweight duel.

Phaliso was in control in the first round before Ngondeka flipped the script and took command as he bludgeoned his adversary at will.

The rest of the bout followed the same pattern, with Ngondeka throwing everything at his opponent but the fight-ending blow.

Battered and bloodied, Phaliso appeared ready to go until a few seconds before the end of the battle, when he dropped Ngondeka hard.

Ngondeka beat the count, but his spaghetti legs saw him wobbling to the ropes with Phaliso in hot pursuit.

Just when Phaliso was poised to throw a fight-ending blow he was rocked by a wicked punch that left him reeling on the ropes.

Smelling blood, Ngondeka charged at him, staggering him again and completely turning the tables.

As he was about to go for the finish, Ngondeka was laid out by another big right and barely beat the count.

But this time Phaliso did not let him off the hook as he threw everything at him but the kitchen sink to force referee Lulama Mtya to intervene.

In a junior-featherweight clash, Awonke Tini was bundled to the canvas three times by Zama Nguza before his last fall led medical personnel to rush into the ring to see if he was all right.

Tini was down twice in the first round, but it was the manner in which he fell 46 seconds into the second that raised the medics’ concerns.

Other results: Siphesihle Sityo TKO5 Ndabezintle Plaarjies (mini-fly); Hlumelo Gingxana W4 Mbuyiseli Ndukwana (light).