‘Bull Dog has lost his bite as a junior middleweight’
Promoter suggests he move two levels up
Boxing promoter Lebo Mahoko thinks 36-year-old Nkululeko “Bull Dog” Mhlongo has either seen better days as a boxer or the current SA junior middleweight (69.85kg) champion should consider moving up two levels to the super middleweight (76.20kg).
The Free State-based Mahoko was reacting to Mhlongo’s unanimous points decision loss in eight rounds to seven fight novice Balazs Bacskai in Hungary last weekend.
Mahoko – who has been in charge of Mhlongo’s career since 2016 – was at ring side.
“He is no longer a junior middleweight fighter. He had to drop a lot of weight for this fight and by the time he lost all that weight, he also lost a lot of power in his punches.
“I think if he fights at super middleweight he won’t have to drop so much weight.
“Mhlongo was gone after four rounds. He lost all the rounds and I think age is catching up with him. He is not as flexible as he was, and the guy he fought landed his punches at will,” Mahoko said.
“Mhlongo only trains hard when he has a fight.”
Mhlongo was not available for a comment. His defeat was his second after his demolishing in five rounds by eight-fight novice Emmany “The General” Kalombo for the WBF Intercontinental junior middleweight title in Edenvale in March.
In total, Mhlongo has lost seven bouts against 16 wins.
His last victory was in September last year when he pulverised overmatched Brandon Thysse into submission in the 10th round.
The bout was Mhlongo’s fourth defence of the South African title.
Before that, he had lost two fights consecutively to Rafael Bejaran for the WBF title in April 2017 and a points decision to Wanik Awdjan in July 15 the same year. Both fights, organised by Mahoko, took place in Germany.
‘‘ I think age is catching up with him; he is not as flexible as he was