How apples reduced Tanzanian boxer’s weight
Several eyebrows were raised when a bout in a Mthatha tournament listed Tanzanian Selamni Bengaiza as challenging for a continental mini-flyweight title even though he is known to be a bantamweight.
And of course Bengaiza came to the premedical for the fight weighing 53kg, which is the bantamweight limit.
He had to reduce by a whopping 6kg in two days to be eligible to contest for the WBA Pan African mini-flyweight title against Bangile Nyangani in Mthatha.
Against all expectations, Bengaiza was down to 47,55kg at the final weigh-in to give his fight against Nyangani the green light.
His ability to shed weight took even Boxing SA-Eastern Cape manager Phakamile Jacobs by surprise.
Jacobs had already warned the organisers that the fight was at risk of being cancelled.
“He did not even go for a run. He just made the weight on his first try,” Jacobs said afterwards.
While everyone was stunned by how Bengaiza was able to make the weight, former boxer Viwe Mdletyeni was basking in the glory of saving the tournament.
Now part of Blaque Magic Sports (BMS) Mdletyeni, a former SA lightweight champion, took Bengaiza aside and told him he would help him reduce the weight. “Look, we are a new boxing promotion so we could not afford to have one of our bouts being cancelled because a boxer could not make the the weight,” Mdletyeni said.
“I decided to take over and handle him.”
But how did Mdletyeni do it?
“I used a simply biological method. I fed him apples and took him for a run. He ate nothing else but apples.”
The first run was from Hemmingways Casino to NU6 Mdantsane.
“But he did not complete that run because we had to rush to the premedical.”
But while driving Bengaiza to Mthatha, Mdletyeni stopped the car several miles away and ordered Bengaiza to follow on foot.
When he got to Mthatha he put him in a sauna and fed him two apples while getting ready for the final weigh-in on the following day.
And Bengaiza was able to make the weight.
Mdletyeni, who has a bachelor’s degree in health promotion, had achieved his objective. “What he did in the ring was none of my business, but my job was to ensure that he made the weight to save the tournament,” he jokingly said.
Bengaiza was knocked out in two rounds by Nyangani.
Mdletyeni’s methods bring him clients who weighty issues.
“Reducing 6kg in two days seems too good to be true maybe I should consult him to help me,” one female fan was overheard saying while Mdletyeni boasted about his achievements. — actually may have