Mhlongo’s big day is finally here
NKULULEKO “The Bulldog ” Mhlongo ’ s dream of challenging for a world boxing title will come to fruition after nearly a year when he challenges WBF middleweight champion Isaac Rodriguez in Brazil tomorrow.
Mhlongo is the gifted artist who remains an unknown entity due to the fact that he scarcely fights.
That is because this reigning SA and WBF Intercontinental junior-middleweight champion is just too good for local boxers.
Mhlongo, who hides his right arm behind his back once he establishes the lead, throws combinations with his well-schooled left – jabbing, digging uppercuts and finishing off with a hook. But he last fought in August last year when he pulverised Sikhulule Sidzumo over eight rounds for the vacant WBF Intercontinental belt in East London.
It was after that bout that Mhlongo made a heartfelt plea to promoters to organise him a world title. Cape Town-based WBF president Howard Goldberg, who supervised that bout, could only get Mhlongo to challenge for the middleweight title.
Mhlongo once knocked out Johannes Pietersen, a fully fledged middleweight, in less than two minutes.
Rodriguez, 30, has 17 knockouts from 20 wins against two defeats. Mhlongo, who is trained in Johannesburg by Sechaba Mabuya, told Sowetan from his hotel room in Brazil: “I am very excited at this opportunity. This guy has said many things but I warned him that talk is cheap. I am here to win at all costs.”
He has stopped 10 of his 12 victims, against two defeats.
Goldberg, who was in charge as a fight supervisor when Rodriguez knocked out Mexican Jose Pinzon in the eighth round to win the title in December, said: “If Mhlongo wins, he stands to earn a huge purse in a rematch clause. I call this [fight] 60-40 in favour of the champion, but I would love Mhlongo to upset the odds.”