Final gong for fistic legend Ngqayimbana

Rivals recall bouts against tricky ace with lots of power

Sexon Ngqayimbana was a clever, tricky and revered boxer with a big punch that earned him respect in the fistic sport.

Despite his talent, Ngqayimbana never had the opportunity to fight for the national title.

He was praised by some of the boxers he fought in his heyday.

Ngqayimbana died of heart failure while alone at his Mdantsane home early last week. He was born on May 5 1961.

His funeral service was held at his home on Sunday and he was buried at the Cambridge Cemetery on Monday.

Due to the short notice, some people in the boxing fraternity were unable to attend the funeral.

“We could not wait [longer] because his body was already in a bad condition,” his daughter Thabisa Goda told Sowetan sister publication, the Dispatch.

Ngqayimbana’s former rival Jackie Gunguluza, who managed to attend the funeral, tasted his first professional loss at the hands of the hard-hitting Ngqayimbana, when they fought for the then expanded Cape junior featherweight title in Port Elizabeth.

“Ngqayimbana was a clever boxer and I am surprised that he never fought for the national title,” Gunguluza recalled.

“He used all sorts of tricks to stop me in five rounds of our bout and that was my first professional loss.”

Ngqayimbana, who competed during an era when there was a great depth of talent in the junior featherweight division, with the likes of Zweli Ngcongolo, considered one of the best boxers in the region.

Ngqayimbana beat Ngcongolo before the latter avenged the loss with a stoppage win.

However, it was Ngqayimbana’s bout back in 1988 against a young and then unknown Vuyani “The Beast” Bungu that will be remembered.

Despite facing a feared legend of 32 bouts, with just three losses to his name, Bungu dramatically introduced himself by beating Ngqayimbana to wrest the Cape junior featherweight title and begin his ascent to the boxing summit.

Bungu would later go on to set a SA record for the most world title defences, after retaining his IBF crown 13 times.

Recalling the fight, Bungu said he never imagined himself facing a boxer of Ngqayimbana’s calibre, let alone beating him in the ring.

“We used to watch Bra Sexon as kids at Sisa Dukashe Stadium and he was a feared fighter. He was a respected fighter and I respected him a lot,” said Bungu this week.

“He was a big and tall junior featherweight with a big punch. He had a bag full of tricks. After beating him, I knew that there was no one who could stand in my way to stardom.”

After seven consecutive wins, Ngqayimbana’s winning streak came to a screeching end against Patrick M boma in 1986. Ngqayimbana then drew with Gaybon “Bobby Lee” Yekiso before defeating big names who included Frazer Ndzandze, Jackie “Pressure Cooker” Gunguluza before losing to Bungu.

But Ngqayimbana, who with his never die attitude, won one bout against Johannes Leburu but it became clear after that bout that his skills had deteriorated as he suffered three consecutive losses.

In his last six bouts, Ngqayimbana could only manage one win and three draws before he finally quit after losing to unknown Mzwandile Zangqa.

Due to Ngqayimbana’s quick burial, friends, relatives and boxing colleagues decided to hold a memorial service for him at the Mdantsane Indoor Centre on Wednesday.

The memorial service was due to be held jointly with that of another late boxer, Simphiwe Mayeza of Ilitha in Eastern Cape, who died two weeks ago.

‘ ‘ We could not wait because his body was already in bad condition