Yoyo beats Mgidi, retains title
Challenger’s brave attempt thwarted
MZIMASI Mnguni’s dream of having a South African champion among his boxers at Eyethu Boxing Club has not been fulfilled just yet.
This follows after his boxer Mzukisi Mgidi failed to dethrone current SA junior-welterweight champion Mzolisi Yoyo at East London’s Orient Theatre on Saturday.
Mgidi suffered a fourth round technical knockout loss to a game Yoyo in front of a big crowd. It was obvious as early as the first round that Mgidi would have a tough time against the champion.
Yoyo’s trainer Dowie Mzini said that his charge stuck to their fight plan thus destroying Mgidi while the challenger’s handler Lunga Sekonyela said his boxer suffered from stage fright.
“We planned properly for this fight and everything worked very well for us. We wanted the fight to go beyond the fourth round but Mgidi’s corner intervened when they saw that he was getting hurt,” said Mzini.
Sekonyela said: “It’s a pity that things didn’t go according to plan during the fight. I think Mgidi had stage fright and he failed to do what we planned at training.”
Yoyo came out with guns blazing from the first bell as he took the fight to his opponent. It was thus no wonder that Mgidi kissed the canvas twice in the opening round.
But Mgidi came back strongly from the two knockdowns and finished the round as the stronger boxer. In fact, the bell saved the champion from the challenger’s onslaught.
Yoyo’s left-right combination worked in his favour and the crowd seemed to enjoy it as it roared whenever his blows found the intended target. It looked as if Yoyo would finish the clash in the second round as he landed a barrage of blows to a hapless Mgidi.
But the challenger soldiered on and his performance – albeit for a short moment – seemed to win him some fans as they enjoyed what he was doing to the champion.
This was, however, short-lived as Yoyo came forward using his right hook effectively.
Yoyo started the third round stronger and left Mgidi staggering with some fierce body blows.
The fourth round began with a fierce exchange of blows, but Yoyo showed his superiority as he overwhelmed Mgidi. It soon became clear that Mgidi could no longer take the punishment as he wobbled and turned his back on Yoyo, who continued to beat him.
It was at that time that Mgidi’s corner led by Sekonyela and Sihle Mnguni threw in the towel to save the challenger from further punishment just a minute and 29 seconds into the fourth round. Other results: Sithembiso Faye beat Nasiphe Mdlangaza on points, Phila Mpontshana defeated Nkosikho Tubela on points, Khangelani Jack beat Khululekile Magcobela by a first round technical knockout, Lucky Kwaza defeated Siphenathi Qampi on points, Thabo Sishwane beat Mfusi Maxhayi on points.
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