Epic Lamati-Garcia war
WITHOUT DOUBT A LEADING CONTENDER FOR ‘FIGHT-OF-THE-YEAR’
It may be premature to predict, but Saturday evening’s battle between Ludumo “9mm” Lamati and Jose Martin Estrada Garcia for the vacant IBO junior featherweight world title, could be a leading contender for the country’s “Fight of the Year”.
Lamati and his Mexican opponent engaged in a 12-round war which will have boxing fans talking for a long time to come, before the South African prevailed by a majority points decision to lift the title.
The fight was the headline bout on the Golden Gloves “Generation Next” card at Emperors Palace and was just the spark the sport needed.
In a rare show of appreciation by an official, even experienced referee Deon Dwarte, with his blood-stained sleeves showing further evidence of the battle, saw fit to applaud at the conclusion of the fight.
Two judges scored the bout in favour of the South African (115113 and 116-112) and the third saw it as a draw (114-114).
Lamati had taken the upper hand in the early to mid-point, commanding the ring, varying his attack with impressive hand speed and body movement, but the tough Mexican absorbed much of what was dished out and
returned fire.
The frenzied pace of the contest eventually took its toll, more so on Lamati (now 18-0-1), who ended up going into survival mode and holding on in the final two “championship” rounds.
“I tested him and he took my punches. That’s when I knew I was in for the long distance. The Mexican came to fight and I was prepared for a war,” said Lamati,
who sustained a cut on his left eye he claimed was from a head-butt.
The main supporting bout didn’t live up to it’s hype as welterweight Thulani “Evolution” Mbenge (now 18-1) put a dent in Jabulani Makhense’s 11-fight unbeaten record with a third-round stoppage.
Junior middleweight Brandon Thysse (14-2-1) made his international debut with a 10th round
knockout victory over Finland’s Tommy Silvennoinen.
Roarke Knapp boosted his record to 12-1-1 when his previously unbeaten opponent, Benoit Makangila, failed to answer the bell for the start of the third round.
In a cruiserweight rematch, veteran Johnny Muller gained a split decision over Akani Phuzi, to retain his WBA Pan-African title.