Mdantsane knockout artist Lonwabo Sizani has thrown down the gauntlet to the junior-lightweight boxers in the country to man up and take the challenge for his ring return in November.
The 22-year-old is taking boxing by storm due to the ease with which he has destroyed his opponents.
He has taken a combined five rounds to put them to sleep since turning professional.
So crippling is his power that he is already drawing comparisons with legend Welile Nkosinkulu, a former SA bantamweight champion.
Trained by former SA junior-bantamweight champion Mzi Dintsi, with veteran Bobbin Sityana assisting him, Sizani is displaying a rare talent of knocking out his foes with a single punch.
He burst onto the scene with a brutal first-round destruction of Loyiso Kewuti in March 2024 before doing the same to Sonke Komeni in November.
The carnage continued, with Aviwe Mpayipheli the only one to survive to the second round in May.
Sizani, whose laid-back demeanour hardly reflects his ruthlessness in the ring, also needed one round to put away Malibongwe Bakalisi at the Guild Theatre at the beginning of August.
While his stock is rising rapidly, there have been concerns that his quick ending of fights is robbing him of seasoning and technique refinement.
Dintsi also expressed concerns but said it was not the game plan to knock out opponents.
“He is just blessed with heavy hands and every time he connects, it is lights out for his opponents,” he said.
Sizani has displayed an uncanny ability to end his bouts with either hand, making it hard to plan against him.
And when he pulls the trigger, he does not even celebrate, only shrugging his shoulders as if to say, ‘what should I do if they all fall quickly’.
His promoter, KayB Promotions boss Mzi Booi, has dared every boxer in the division to put their name forward if they want to be Sizani’s next knockout victim.
“The space is open for November 2 for anyone brave enough to step up to the plate to face Sizani,” he said.
Booi said opponents were scurrying for cover at the mention of Sizani’s name.
“We are struggling to find opponents for him, with some pricing themselves out while others do not even want to hear his name.
“We really have to break the bank to ensure he finds opponents.”
While there is growing anticipation of his ring return, Sizani continues to perfect his craft to unleash his power on his next foe.
Daily Dispatch
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