Fana may hang up gloves
Ghana health scare rings alarm bells for veteran
VETERAN Eastern Cape-born boxer Mzonke Fana says he is seriously considering retirement after a health scare in Ghana.
This when the 43-year-old Qumbu-born collapsed in the ring after his defeat by Emmanuel Tagoe in a clash for the vacant IBO lightweight title clash at Bukom Boxing Arena in Accra.
And Boxing SA is breathing down his neck for leaving to Ghana without a clearance.
BSA chief executive Tsholofelo Lejaka confirmed that the regulatory body would sit down and take an appropriate action about Fana fighting abroad without a clearance.
“We called him to find out about his well-being after the health scare reports because firstly we wanted to ensure that he is fine,” said Lejaka. “I must say he sounded fine so now we will then see how to handle his leaving to fight in Ghana without a clearance.”
Fana, who manages himself, said he only realised when he was already in Accra that he forgot about applying for a clearance.
“I will write them a letter of apology and explain everything.”
Fana took the fight at less than a week notice when Tagoe’s original opponent from Argentine withdrew.
The veteran was preparing for his SA lightweight title defence against Prince Ndlovu in Kimberley on November 25.
But when the fight was postponed he was approached to face Tagoe for the vacant title originally belonging to Xolisani “Nomeva” Ndongeni, in less than a week notice.
Fana was down twice in the first round en route to losing a unanimous points decision.
After the fight he says he felt dizzy and asked to be put on the canvas.
“The next thing I woke up in an ambulance to hospital,” he said.
“I was kept for overnight observation and they did brain scan and other post-fight tests but they all came back negative.”
Fana admitted that his wife, who has been calling for him to retire, would likely not allow him to fight again.
“I do not even want to think what my wife will say,” he said.
“If I will fight again, then I know for a fact that she will not be part of that decision because she has been telling me to retire for a while now.”
Fana had revealed to the Daily Dispatch after his WBO world lightweight title loss to Englishman Terry Flanagan this past July that he would engage in one fight then hang up his gloves.
“I can see that I am no longer the same boxer I was before,” he said then.
“There were things that my mind would instruct my body to do but the body would refuse to take the command. Once that happens it is the sign that one should go.”
Despite losing to Tagoe, Fana insisted that the Ghanaian was not a special boxer.
“He is nothing special. If I had enough time to prepare for him I am telling you I would have taken him to school.”
With regard to his knockdowns, Fana said although he did go down, the Ghanaian is not a big puncher.
“Even the punches he caught me with were not that hard.”
While he refused to make excuses, Fana said the fact that he only made into the ring at 4.30am could have affected his body during the fight.
“I was gloved up at 7pm on Friday but I only made into the ring at 4.30am on Saturday. You can imagine how my body was reacting to that but I am not making an excuses.”