Boxing-scarred Nxoshe to relaunch stalled career
Thembelani Nxoshe has experienced all of boxing hardships, both in and out of the ring and will use them as inspiration when he takes on Sikho Moshani in a cross roads bout at the Orient Theatre in East London on Sunday.
From being banned for doping when traces of cannabis was found in his urine, to being denied the status of being an SA champion, Nxoshe has seen it all.
“All these challenges have only served to make me stronger,” he said.
Nxoshe’ s woes started in November 2014 after beating Doctor Ntsele for what had been billed as an SA flyweight title.
However, his celebration for finally gaining a national title soon turned to disappointment when Boxing SA disqualified him on the basis that the organisers had not followed procedures to get the fight approved for a title.
Disillusioned and contemplating a legal challenge, Nxoshe could not even use the opportunity to become an international champion when he lost to Filipino Rene Dacquel for the IBO international junior bantamweight title.
“I felt boxing was against me,” he recalled.
“I worked so hard to become an SA champion but that right was taken away from me without it being my fault.”
Nxoshe continued to fight on but the spark was missing, resulting in losses to the likes of Mfundo Gwayana.
He decided to rededicate himself to the sport and earned another shot at Gwayana with the SA title now at stake.
He grabbed the opportunity with both hands as he knocked out Gwayana to finally lay his hands on the national belt which he has defended once by seeing off the challenge of Xolisile Joyi in a bout he was lucky to escape without disqualification.
However, in a post-fight examination he failed a dope test and was suspended for six months.
When he returned he was still suffering from the effects of the lay-off as he lost to Nhlanhla Ngamntwini and fought to a draw in the rematch before earning a shot at Mexican Ulises Lara ’ s WBC silver junior bantamweight belt.
Nxoshe lost to a unanimous decision. Now he will have to relaunch his career against the Duncan Village-based opponent Moshani in a flyweight bout. Moshani hails from the deeply-talented gymnasium of Ben Mtyaliseko whose boxers are renowned for their never-say-die attitude in the ring. I know this fight will not be “easy but then I have never had it easy in boxing,” Nxoshe said.
The bout will be the latest instalment of the Mdantsane vs Duncan Village rivalry which always produces fireworks.
The fight will form part of Rumble African Promotions bill headlined by Azinga Fuzile against Lunga Stimele.