Ubavale imilomo empini ye-ABU ebiyimpinda
IBHOKISA laKwaZulu-Natal, uThabiso “The Rock” Mchunu, liqede ukuqagela lizidlela amahlanga embangini uThomas “Tommy Gun” Oosthuizen empini ebiyimpinda yebhande le-African Boxing Union (ABU) Cruiserweight e-Emperors Palace, eGauteng, ngoMgqibelo ebusuku.
Empini yokuqala, amajaji awinise u-Oosthuizen kodwa izikhalo ezivele kubathandi besibhakela ziphoqe uphromotha uRodney Berman weGolden Gloves Promotions ukuthi ayibuyisele eringini. UBerman uthole amajaji aphesheya kwezilwandle emizameni yokuthi kwenzeke ubulungiswa.
NgoMgqibelo ebusuku uMchunu ukhombisile ukuthi wayevele ewinile. Uhlule u-Oosthuizen ngamaphuzu kuba u-111-119 kuwona womathathu amajaji. UMchunu ukhombise zibekwa ukuthi ufuna ukuzokhombisa ukuthi wayevele eshayelwe esakeni empini yokuqala.
Ubekuqonda ukuthi mfushane kunoTommy Gun, wavala igebe zibekwa, wadedela odalimede bezibhakela. Ngemuva kwemizuliswano emine, ngokwamajaji ubevele esehamba phambili uMchunu. Ngokomthetho weWorld Boxing Council, i-ABU engaphansi kwayo, kumenyezelwa imiphumela njalo ngemuva kwemizuliswano emine. Nangowesishiyagalombili uMchunu ubesahamba phambili. Ngaphambi kokuqala komzuliswano wesishiyagalolunye, umqeqeshi ka-Oosthuizen, uHarold Volbrecht, umtshele ukuthi indlela angawina ngayo wumngqimuzo womlalisa phansi kuphela, emcacisela ukuthi ngeke esalibona elidlalayo uma ebheke amaphuzu. Nokho kugcine kungenzekanga.
Irekhodi likaMchunu linyukele ku-20-5-0. ElikaOosthuizen, obeqala ukuhlulwa umshayisibhakela waseMzansi, lehlele ku- 29-2-2.
UMchunu uthe wayevele eyiwinile impi yokuqala, eyangoMgqibelo ubazi ukuthi uzoyiwina kalula.
“Ngiyabonga ukuthola impi eyimpinda, kubona bonke abangesekile nasekhempini yami. Sisebenze kanzima. Bengazi ukuthi ngizoyiwina kalula le mpi futhi ngenze kanjalo. Akungimangazanga ukumbona engagcogcomi kakhulu ngoba ubezitshela ukuthi uyangidida. Kodwa uma enza njalo ubenginika ithuba lokudedela izibhakela ngiyilawule impi. Kodwa ngiziqeqeshe kanzima bengilindele konke,” kusho uMchunu.
UBerman ubethembise ukuthi ozowina phakathi kukaMchunu no-Oosthuizen, uzobhekana nompetha we-International Boxing Organisation (IBO) uKevin “KO Kid” Lerena.
“Ngiyakholwa ukuthi ngisengasilwela isicoco somhlaba esikhulu. Emuva kwezimpi nje ezimbili kusuka manje ngizobe sengikulungele ukulwela ibhande lomhlaba. Kodwa angiboni ngizolwa noLerena ngoba sisekhempini eyodwa. ULerena no-Oosthuizen banegqubu, ngingabadedela balwe. Ngicabanga ukuthi uKevin unamandla angayiwina impi,” kusho uMchunu.
Kwenye impi, uThulani Mbenge ulivikele ngempumelelo ibhande le-IBO welterweight ehlula uMiguel Vazquez waseMexico ngamaphuzu.