MATHEBULA BROKE JAW SA fighter showed guts to go distance
JEFFREY “Mongoose” Mathebula fought for eight rounds on Saturday night with a broken jaw.
The South African lost on points to Filipino Nonito Donaire in an IBF-WBO unification bout for the junior featherweight title.
Yesterday, promoter Branco Milenkovic revealed that Mathebula’s jaw had been broken in the fourth round of the fight in Carson, California.
Milenkovic paid tribute to the South African boxer’s courage, saying Mathebula showed guts and determination by continuing the fight after Donaire dropped the South African with a left hook in the fourth round.
“Fighting with a broken jaw against the universally recognised fifth-rated poundfor-pound star makes Mathebula ’ s performance even more heroic, especially after highly respected American fighter Victor Ortiz opted to quit in his corner when his jaw was broken during his welterweight clash against Josesito Lopez just a fortnight ago,” said Milenkovic yesterday.
“We initially thought it was a tooth problem. The fact that Jeffrey could not speak to his cornermen during the fight shows the pain he suffered.
“We found out only on our arrival in Johannesburg on Tuesday that his jaw had been broken.”
Mathebula was treated at a Johannesburg hospital yesterday.
ESPN is understood to have scored the fight 116-111 while the authoritative Ring Magazine, BoxingScene.com and HBO, which televised the fight, saw it closer at 115-112 even though Donaire scored a knockdown in the fourth round, which gave him a twopoint advantage in the round.
One of the judges, Jonathan Davis, scored it 117-110 for Donaire, Steve Morrow gave it to the Filipino 118-109 and South African judge Deon Dwarte had Donaire as the winner 119-108.
Mathebula ’ s unification bout with Donaire was the second involving a South African.
Brian Mitchell held the IBF junior lightweight title when he fought and drew with WBA holder Tony Lopez in March 1991.