Oyisa Gingxana’s camp has calmed down soaring expectations of him challenging for the national title, following his stunning knockout victory to claim the provincial junior bantamweight belt at the Peddie Extension Stadium in Ngqushwa on Sunday.
The 24-year-old scored a highlight-reel fourth-round knockout of Athi Klaas to claim the vacant belt and extend his winning streak to four in as many bouts.
The victory propelled Gingxana to join his brother, Hlumelo, as the two provincial champions in the family in a space of two weeks, with the siblings becoming the first boxing champions from the Braelyn area.
Though Klaas entered the fight as the bigger puncher of the two, having won all but four of his bouts by stoppages against a single loss, Gingxana spectacularly flipped the script when he detonated a big right to turn the lights out on Klaas.
His trainer, Lonki Witbooi, who engineered Hlumelo’s win when he knocked out Aphiwe Magobiyane to wrest the provincial lightweight title in Komani a fortnight ago, said the punch was the result of meticulous planning in the gym.
“We knew that he was the bigger puncher of the two, so our strategy was to let him expend the energy by using lateral movement,” he said.
“Though he punches hard, he has a tendency to drop his guard after throwing his blows, so we capitalised on that.”
Klaas’s father and trainer, Allen, admitted that his charge made some mistakes due to ring rust.
“He threw a punch and left himself open for a counter, and that was it,” Klaas said.
“This is the result of ring rust because we did not fight for the whole of 2025 and that showed.
“Congratulations to Oyisa, but this is not the end for us.”
Witbooi applauded his charge for sticking to the game plan and not being sidetracked by the occasion.
“I can tell you the future is bright for this boy because of his calmness in the ring in the midst of ring dynamics.”
Asked if he expected the fight to end in a knockout owing to Gingxana not winning by stoppage in his previous three bouts, Witbooi said when a punch was thrown correctly, it could produce a knockout.
“We set him up for the blow and then dropped it when the time was right.”
After the win, calls are expected to gather steam for Gingxana to challenge for the SA belt held by Moyisi Booi, who is scheduled to make a ring return in an international bout on April 24.
However, Witbooi cautioned against rushing the new provincial champion, saying he would focus on defending the newly acquired trinket while polishing his boxing craft.
“There is no rush for an SA title. We want Oyisa to evolve into a well-rounded boxer before unleashing him on the SA title shot.”
The other results are: Theo Nxayiphi W8 Lebogang Pilane (catch), Shaun Mzayifani TKO 3 Khayalethu Ngqali (welter), Siyamthanda Mbali W6 Yomeleze Sululu (junior bantam), Uyathandwa Ngcuphe D4 Mihlali Ntshuntsha (junior bantam), Sandiso Centane TKO3 Thobela Khuhlane (mini-fly).
Daily Dispatch
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