The Daily Dispatch E-Edition

World title fight described as unwatchable scrap

Fight degenerated into an unwatchable scrap and one of poorest world title bouts held in SA in recent memory

MESULI ZIFO

Few trainers would come out and say their boxers did not deserve to win, but Ayanda Ndulani’s mentor, Kholisile Cengani, was forthright about the controversial victory of his charge over Siphamandla Baleni at the weekend.

Ndulani was declared a winner by a split decision over Baleni in his IBO mini-flyweight title defence at East London’s International Convention Centre.

Only judge Lulama Mtya’s scorecard reflected the fight proceedings when he scored the fight 118-114 in favour of Baleni.

But Mtya was overruled by Tony Nyangiwe and Simphiwe Mbini, who scored the fight 117-111 and 116-112 respectively for Nduleni.

Boxing fans condemned the outcome insisting that Baleni had been given a raw deal.

And Cengani feels they are justified because he also did not see his charge winning the fight.

“I will be honest with you, I also do not think Ndulani won the fight, much as I did not give it to Baleni either,” he said.

“To me a draw would have been a fair outcome because both did nothing to outsmart each other.

“Baleni was budging in with his head and we knew that was what he was going to do, and so we planned to counter that with a jab.”

The fight degenerated into an unwatchable scrap, with referee Alan Matakane working overtime as he consistently warned both boxers.

Boxing historian Ron Jackson described the fight as one of the poorest world title bouts held in the country in recent memory.

Cengani, who masterminded Ndulani’s destruction of veteran Nkosinathi “Mabare” Joyi to win the title in May, attributed the below-par performance of his charge to distractions before the fight.

“There was a time when we even asked for the fight to be postponed because the boy was distracted by personal challenges.

“But I did not want to make excuses and so we soldiered on. I can simply say it was my poorest preparation of my boxer for a title fight, let alone a world title bout.”

The win offered Ndulani a measure of revenge as he lost to Baleni in their previous bout in 2019.

Baleni, the reigning SA juniorflyweight champion, had dropped a division to challenge for the title.

The loss was his fourth in 24 bouts, with two draws, while Ndulani stretched his fight record to 12 wins, a draw and two losses.

Ndulani is rated fourth by the WBC, and the win will advance him towards a title unification clash or a major world title challenge.

A draw would have been a fair outcome as neither did anything to outsmart the other

Sport

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2021-12-01T08:00:00.0000000Z

2021-12-01T08:00:00.0000000Z

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