Umpetha uthulele isigqoko umqeqeshi ethatha ibhande
UTUSE amaqhinga omqeqeshi nokuhlala ejimini umpetha omusha we-International Boxing Organisation (IBO) welterweight, uThulani “Evolution” Mbenge, oshiye abalandeli bengawuvali umlomo e-Emperors Palace, eGauteng, ngoMgqibelo ebusuku.
UMbenge wase-East London, uhlule ngomcacamezelo womlalisa phansi uDiego Gabriel Chaves wase-Argentina empini ebikade ibhekwe ngabomvu. Le mpi ibikade ingeyosuku kwebezikade zihlelwe yiGolden Gloves Promotions kaRodney Berman ebezibizwa ngeBombs Away. UMbenge, owine ibhande le-World Boxing Council (WBC) International ezinyangeni ezedlule, ucacise zibekwa ngoMqgibelo ukuthi uzimisele ngokuwina ele-IBO, exina uChaves ngezibhakela, engamniki ithuba lokuzinza.
Emizuliswaneni yokuqala, uMbenge ubevele ehamba phambili ngamaphuzu. Ngomzuliswano wesikhombisa, uMbenge udedele udalimede wesibhakela sesokudla esihlale ebusweni bukaChaves, wawa ngobuso, kwaba wukuphela kwempi.
UMbenge uncome umqeqeshi wakhe uSean Smith.
“Kade sizibuka izimpi zakhe kwiYouTube. Besazi ukuthi uyinhlobo yomshayisibhakela oza phambili. Siqhamuke neqhinga lokuthi sishaye umzimba kusukela ekuqaleni, bese simzuma ngesibhakela sesokudla uma esegxile kwesikwenzayo. Nangempela sikwenzile lokho kwasisebenzela. Ngibonga umqeqeshi wami ngalokhu. Sisebenze kanzima nomqeqeshi wami ngaphambi kwale mpi. Sihlale ejimini kakhulu,” kusho uMbenge.
Indlela alwe ngayo uMbenge ayichazanga kuphela abalandeli kodwa noBerman uhlulekile ukuzibamba, wajabulisa okwengane encane. Usuku lwangoMgqibelo kube olwenjabulo kuSmith kwazise omunye umshayisibhakela wakhe, uThabiso “The Rock” Mchunu, uwine ngomngqimuzo womlalisa phansi kuRicards Bolotniks waseLatvia empini yemizuliswano ewu-10. UMchunu, obekade emfushane kunoBolotniks, uvale igebe zibekwa, waphefumulela esifubeni sembangi nokwenze yathwala kanzima. Ngomzuliswano wesithupha uBolotniks uvuke phansi, unompempe wambalela kodwa wavuka. Emuva kwalokho uMchunu ubuyile wazomqedela, unompempe wayiqeda impi. UMchunu uzobhekana noThomas “Tommy Gun” Ooosthuizen empini ezoba ngoSepthemba 1. UTommy Gun, osexoshwe yiGolden Gloves izikhawu ngenxa yezidakamizwa, usanda kuxolelwa yilesi sitebele. Ugcine ukungena eringini ngoMeyi nyakenye ehlulwa ngu-Igor Mikhalkin waseRussia empini yebhande le-IBO lightweight.