Thrills and spills with boxers’ skills
Best bout goes to novice Makhense
Golden Gloves did it again, bringing top-class boxing action at Emperors Palace in Kempton Park on Sunday. Veteran associate promoters Rodney Berman and Jeff Ellis staged a six-bout card dubbed Battle Stations. It featured three regional titles – the IBF Africa junior welterweight, the WBA Pan African junior welterweight and the IBO AllAfrica super middleweight championship bouts. Action kicked off with Tristan Trutter pulverising Simphiwe Ntombela into submission in two rounds, while former top amateur Ricardo Malajika defeated Andile Cindi on points over six rounds. Marios Matamba, making his debut under trainer Sean Smith, proved too clever and strong when he destroyed Clement Kamanga over seven punishing rounds to win the vacant IBF Africa junior welterweight title. BSA 2017’s male referee of the year Deon Dwarte saved Kamanga from total destruction in 43 seconds.
Augustine Matata poleaxed Karabo Mokupi in the fourth round. Rowan Campbell came back from a knockdown in the third round to defeat tough-as-nails but visibly exhausted Alex Kabangu of Congo on points after 10 closely contested rounds for the IBO All Africa super middleweight title.
The afternoon belonged to seventh fight novice Jabulani Makhense, who upset the bookies when he easily befuddled veteran SA and
WBF Intercontinental junior welterweight champion Xolani Mcotheli over 12 rounds to win the WBA Pan African belt. Mcotheli, involved in his 22nd bout, could not come to terms with Makhense’s exceptional skills partnered by beautiful ring lateral movements.
Scores of 119-109, 118-110 reflected the action inside the ring while the third score of 116-112 was way off the mark. It was good scientific boxing by Makhense, 23, who also holds the Gauteng belt.
He is trained by former multiple world cruiserweight champion
Sebastiaan
Rothmann.