Magwaza training for vacant WBA Africa bantamweight fight
Comeback kid Sanele Magwaza has returned to Nelson Mandela Bay and is in full swing preparing to fight Sabelo Cebekhulu for the vacant World Boxing Association Africa Bantamweight title on April 1.
The fight will be staged by Ludonga Boxing Promotion in Mandeni, KwaZulu-Natal.
Magwaza, 28, who is originally from KwaZulu-Natal but based in Gqeberha, moved to Johannesburg in March last year due to work demands, but continued with his boxing under Gauteng trainer Samson Ndlovu.
He holds the WBF intercontinental junior-featherweight title and is rated number three in SA in the division.
In Johannesburg Magwaza signed to fight the unbeaten Cebekhulu, who is also a WBF international title holder in the bantamweight division.
Now Magwaza is back in the Bay with Caiph Camp Boxing Club, and stable owner and trainer Caiphus Ntante said he was pleased to have him back.
He said they have been hard at work training for this fight since the boxer’s return in December.
“He left the city due to work but when he saw that things were not going well that side workwise, he decided to come back,” Ntante said.
“Now he’s back at the club and training with us. He has a fight that he signed up for while he was that side, for the vacate WBA Africa title.
“The fight was approved by the WBA but unfortunately because there were some issues between BSA and promoters which have since been resolved, the fight was postponed in December and will now be staged on March 16.
“We have to honour it because it was not cancelled, it was postponed.
“He is fighting against an unbeaten boxer Sabelo Cebekhulu from KZN.
“What is good is that Magwaza will be fighting at his birthplace in Mandeni.”
Ntante said Magwaza has come back a better boxer and he has no doubt that, come April 1, he will be crowned the new WBA Africa bantamweight champion.
“I think it was good that he left us because he came back as an improved boxer.
“He has learnt a lot in Joburg and grown as a boxer.
“He did not get the chance to defend his title that side, but he is still the WBF champion and the boxer he is up against is also a WBF champion but in a different weight category.”
Another Caiph Camp boxer, Sonwabile Marenene, will also be fighting on the day.*