Mdantsane knockout artist Lonwabo Sizani will test his crippling power at international level when he contests for his first title against Tanzanian Ahmedy A Mangula at East London’s Guild Theatre on April 8.
The bout pitting unbeaten rising stars against each other will have the WBC Silver Youth junior lightweight title on the line, representing the first piece of silverware for the Mdantsane specialist.
Sizani’s promoter, Mzi Booi of KayB Promotions, said the fight was clinched after he attended the WBC Convention in Thailand in November.
“My objective for attending the convention was to forge working relations with the international boxing space and consolidate networks in order to take boxers to the world stage,” he said.
There has been an outcry over the inability of East London promoters to take local boxers to world title shots, leading to an exodus of talent to Johannesburg.
Two East London boxers, Phumelela Cafu and Landile Ngxeke, dumped their long-time mentor, Xaba Promotions, to join Colin Nathan in Johannesburg in pursuit of world title shots.
Nathan took them directly to world title shots, with Cafu winning the WBO junior bantamweight belt by beating Kosei Tanaka in Japan in October 2024, while Ngxeke failed in his bid to win the IBF bantamweight title after he was stopped in seven rounds by Jose Reyes Salas in Mexico in December 2025.
The move prompted East London promoters to establish international networks, with Booi clinching deals for his boxers, including Sizani.
“I explored avenues to improve the international careers of Sizani, and I was offered this opportunity to go for the silver youth title, which will boost his international credentials and eventually lead to a world rating.
“The WBC was generous in a number of ways for me to stage this fight and I could not let the opportunity pass.“
While the WBC is notorious for its exorbitant sanctioning fees, which have seen it clash with high-profile boxers including Americans Terence Crawford and Shakur Stevenson, leading to them being stripped of their super middleweight and junior welterweight belts, Booi said the Mexico-based sanctioning body gave him a good deal in paying the fees.
Sizani, who has knocked out all five of his opponents in as many bouts, will be the favourite to continue his knockout streak, though the Tanzanian, who has an equal number of fights with a single draw, is reportedly confident of springing an upset.
While Tanzanian boxers have proven to be cannon fodder when fighting in SA, igniting calls for them to be banned, the country has produced a fair number of good fighters who often choose to fight at home.
Asked how he convinced Mangula to leave the comforts of his home, Booi said: “We gave him a good deal.“
However, Mangula, who at 22 is Sizani’s age, has never fought an opponent with a winning record.
Daily Dispatch
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