Bazethembile abazobanga isicoco

Duif du Toit

KULINDELEKE isibhakela esiqhwiza umentshisi phakathi kukaBoitshepo Mandawe (kwesokunxele) noTsiko Mulovhedzi abazobanga isicoco se-SA welterweight eNasrec Indoor Centre, eGoli, kusasa ebusuku. Isithombe: GALLO IMAGES

ZAKHELE XABA

KUZOQHUMA nhlavana ezinye zifekele empini yesicoco sakuleli esesize salala izintuli ngenxa yokungacaci kwabashayisibhakela abazosibanga.

Ekugcineni leli bhande le-SA welterweight eselokhu lashiywa nguChris “The Heat” van Heerden osephethe ese-IBO ngasekupheleni konyaka odlule, kulindeleke ukuthi lilale okhalweni loyedwa phakathi kukaTsiko Mulovhedzi (8-2-4-2) waseLimpopo noBoitshepho “Gangster” Mandawe (12-10-2) waseGoli abazolibanga kusasa ebusuku eNasrec Indoor Centre, eGoli. Le mpi izohola ezihlelwe yiRainbow Boxing Promotions (RBP) kaPat Molefe. UMulovhedzi uthole leli thuba engajulukanga kulandela ukungafiki empini kukaScelo Mzobe empini okwakufanele ibe seThekwini kanti uMandawe wadlula ngamaphuzu kuMthobisi Buthelezi ngoJuni. Ngaphambi kwalokho impi yakhe (uMulovhedzi) yokuhlunga noMsizi Qwabe waseMandeni, yayisihlehliswe kaningana. Ngesikhathi ezitshela ukuthi ekugcineni uzosilwela isicoco aphumela obala ngokuthi sifunwa nguyise, watshelwa ngemizuzu yokugcina ukuthi ngeke kusaba yimpi yebhande ngoba bobabili noQwabe kade bagcina ukulwa. Nokho impi yaqhubeka balwa ngokulingana eGeorge Campbell, eThekwini. Emuva kwalokho kwathiwa sekufanele abhekane noMzobe kweyokuhlungela isicoco.

Umqeqeshi kaMulovhedzi, uCharles Mabunda uthe yize umshayisibhakela wakhe esenesikhathi agcina ukungena eringini kodwa ukungcweka noSydney Maluleka, Sipho “Tsunami” Taliwe nabanye uyakwethemba ukuthi kusivalile leso sikhala.

“Ngiyavuma ukuthi side isikhathi agcina ukulwa kodwa ngiyethemba ukuthi ukungcweka nabashayisibhakela abasezingeni eliphezulu kuzomsiza. Usesimweni esihle futhi uyilungele impi ngayo yonke indlela,” kusho uMabunda obuye apheke uJulie “Queen” Shabalala ongumpetha kwabesifazane ku-SA middleweight.

Umqeqeshi kaMandawe, uNick “Mthakathi” Durandt usevele ukushilo ukuthi ufuna ukwengeza izicoco esitebeleni sakhe ngokwehlula uMulovhedzi ngomngqimuzo womlalisa phansi kwazise irekhodi lakhe liyasho ukuthi akukho olutheni alwaziyo ngesibhakela.

“Ngiyezwa ukuthi uhambe ethi uzonqoba ngomngqimuzo womlalisa phansi kodwa thina siyakwazi esikufunayo. Ezimpini ehlulwe kuzo uTsiko, ubengakabi naso isipiliyoni. Bazobona abebengakulindele kulokhu, sizoyinqoba le mpi,” kusho uMabunda.

Lo mqeqeshi uvumile ukuthi uyazi ukuthi uMandawe uqatha, unamandla futhi udedela odalimede bezibhakela kodwa sebenalo iqhinga lalokho.

Ezinye izimpi zimi kanje:

Junior middleweight (6 rounds): Kobus Motlhoding v Sylvester Zaki

Middleweight (4 rounds): Wynand Mulder v Walter Dlamini

Bantamweight (6 rounds): Cebo Ngema v Lusanda Komanisi

Junior Welterweight (4 rounds): Oupa Maimane v Keith Nkosi

Welterweight (4 rounds): Vusi Bilankulu v Jarred Silverman

Junior Middleweight (4 rounds): Arina Neshitamboni v Dowyne Combrink

Bantamweight (4 rounds): Mxolisi Nombewu v Noah Nthai