UMthalane uzanyelwa impi yokuhlungela eleWBC
UZANYELWA impi yokuhlungela ibhande le-World Boxing Council (WBC) umshayisibhakela waseNingizimu Afrika, uMoruti “Babyface” Mthalane, onesifiso sokuphanyeka amagilavu emgibeni esephethe esinye sezicoco ezinkulu emhlabeni.
UMthalane, owake waphatha ibhande le-International Boxing Federation (IBF) flyweight neleInternational Boxing Organisation (IBO), uqede unyaka u-2017 ephethe ele-IBF International. Ukuwina leli bhande kumenze wenyukela endaweni yesithupha ezilinganisweni zeWBC.
Ngasekupheleni konyaka odlule kuvele ukuthi abaphathi bakaMthalane bamzamela impi yebhande le-IBF ayelilaxaze eminyakeni edlule ngenxa yokubhekana nezinkinga. Kumanje leli bhande lisezandleni zikaDonnie Nietes wasePhilippines. Izolo Isolezwe lithole ukuthi ikhona likaMthalane lihlela ukubhalela incwadi umengameli weWBC limnxenxe ukuthi le nhlangano imnike ithuba lokulwa impi yokuhlunga ozobhekana nompetha webhande layo uDaigo Higa waseJapan.
“Uma kuvela ithuba nakuyona i-IBF ngingalithatha ngoba isifiso sami wukulwela ibhande elikhulu emhlabeni ngaphambi kokuthi ngiyeke isibhakela ngoba iminyaka isihambile, sengimdala. Okwamanje kusazanywa indlela ebheke ebhandeni leWBC,” kusho uMthalane.
UMthalane (35-2-0) uthathwa njengomunye wompetha abayohlala bekhunjulwa emlandweni wesibhakela ngokumela kahle iNingizimu Afrika esibhakeleni somhlaba. Ugcine ukwehlulwa ngo-2008 ekhala ngaphansi kuNonito Donaire wasePhilippines empini yebhande le-IBF ne-IBO eLas Vegas. Ngaphandle kukaDonaire, osehlule inqwaba yabashayisibhakela eNingizimu Afrika, uMthalane uhlulwe nguNkqubela Gwazela wase-Eastern Cape empini yebhande le-SA flyweight neleWBC International ngo-2004.
UMthalane uyena yedwa umshayisibhakela waseMzansi osahlule umpetha weWorld Boxing Organisation (WBO) bantamweight, uZolani “Last Born” Tete osakhale ngaphansi kathathu ezimpini ezingu-29 asezilwile.