Mpontshane reveals his rise from adversity to triumph
SA champion explains thrill of fighting out of Eyethu Gym and how he turned his life around to become a champion, writes Mesuli Zifo
PHILA Mpontshane made the headlines for the wrong reasons after he stabbed his stablemate Asiphi Tshili with a broken beer bottle. Even when he was preparing for the SA juniorlightweight title shot against Aphiwe Mboyiya the main focus fell on his conduct rather than the biggest fight of his career.
Dismissed as an underdog to Mboyiya especially as he was umnyolwa( voluntary challenger), Mpontshane surprised many pundits when he dethroned Mboyiya to become the new champion.
Now he is the only champion at the legendary Eyethu Boxing Club which is renowned for producing world champions such as Welcome Ncita, Vuyani Bungu, Mbulelo Botile, Zolani Petelo, Hawk Makepula and a host of others. In this tell-all interview Mpontshane talks about his title-winning feat and finally lifts the lid on the stabbing incident with Tshili.
BOXING MECCA: Your name means get well (Phila) and I cannot think of a better person than you to say that to your ailing promoter Mzi Mnguni. PHILA MPONTSHANE: That is my aim my bra to help Bra Mzi to get well, hence I made sure that I win the title for him. That man has done a lot for boxing and for me to train in his gymnasium can only be described as an honour. You know whenever I train there, I cast my eyes on the press clippings and pictures of Bra Welcome, Bungu, Hawk, Botile decorating the wall and I get motivated to do the best so that my picture will one day be among them.
BM: Lets talk about your fight with Mboyiya. I recall seeing your comment on Facebook where you asked Mboyiya that he should play his role to ensure that the fight was a thrilling bout, but no one including myself, gave you a chance to beat him. PM: No one gave me a chance but I knew that I was going to beat Mboyiya. I fought him twice in the amateur ranks and beat him on both occasions. Even though he made his mark in the professional ranks, I observed that he was still making the same mistakes he made in the unpaid ranks.
BM: Can you elaborate on the mistakes he is still making? time he bunked school, fought with teachers, beat up schoolmates and literally subjected us to endless problems. My mother was constantly being called to his school to talk about Asiphi’s ill-discipline and I felt that was unfair to my mother as he had nothing to do with all this. To cut the story short, I ended up also telling him to pack his things and leave, especially after he said he was quitting school. From then on I was his number one enemy. Remember that when he moved in with me he had left his gymnasium at NU8 because the gym is owned by Vido Mtekwana, who kicked him out of his previous place.
So he also left bra Vido’s club to train with me at Eyethu and it was pure hell as he disrespected anyone, including managers and trainers.
On this particular day he had a quarrel with a stablemate who is my friend about taxi fare and it turned physical. I had to intervene and separate them and that was when he went after me. He hurled everything at me, bricks, stones, metal rods anything he could lay his hands on promising to finish me off. I had to run for cover but he went after me. I managed to grab a bottle just when he hit me with the metal rod, breaking the bottle. I had no choice but to fight for my life.
BM: Yhoo, is that what happened? Is it why he was kicked out from the Eyethu and subsequently decided to withdraw the charge with the police? PM: My bra. Asiphi was troublesome to anyone at the gym and he obviously realised that no one would have supported him in the trial. I felt bad because I am the one who brought him to Eyethu. I am also the one who took him in and subjected my mother to his nonsense.
BM: In closing Phila what is your wish besides winning a world title? PM: My wish is for my gym to get someone to sponsor it, perhaps with gym kit or something in that regard so that when one of us is fighting we clad in the same kit to reinforce unity.
BM: I must say you are not what I thought you are because honestly I figured you as a thug. But I see now that you are a well grounded person who knows what he wants. PM: Thanks my bra. Like I said we all misjudge people for one incident and never take time to get their side of the story. But that is life so I am not complaining. The trick is to know what you want to achieve.