The camp of SA mini-flyweight champion Thinumzi Gqola defended his performance in his title defence against Athanani Mxoli at the Orient Theatre in KuGompo City at the weekend.
Gqola retained his belt via lopsided scores of 119-111, 118-110 and 116-112 in a forgettable bout that never rose to any heights.
Dubbed the “Duncan Village Derby” as it featured boxers from the shack-littered township, the clash never came close to emulating other boxing derbies, as neither boxer displayed sustained action.
Instead, they posed, waited and threw single shots which often missed in contrast to bouts in the division which often involve hand speed, precision, punch selection and timing.
For his part, Gqola tried to make the fight as he initiated action and threw more punches, but his eagerness was thwarted by Mxoli, who constantly held drawing numerous warnings from the referee.
However, he got away with it, as he was not docked any points for excessive holding.
Gqola’s trainer, Ncedo Cecane, expressed disappointment at Mxoli’s tame challenge after his prefight bravado when he promised to win by a stoppage.
“He never fought like a challenger hungry for a title but held on for dear life, and I feel he should have been docked points for the transgression,” he said.
Cecane admitted he was surprised by Mxoli’s cautious approach despite his prefight predictions, which gave him sleepless nights.
“I must be honest, his bold talk before the fight had me worried and I wondered what he would bring to the ring.
“But in the fight he was not there, and I see some people are even blaming Gqola for the fight’s failure to live up to expectations, forgetting that it takes two to tango.
“We tried to make the fight, but we had no willing partner. The 119-111 score was the true reflection of the fight.”
Cecane confirmed that Gqola’s performance deteriorated to the level of Mxoli’s but shot down concern that he was not ready for international forays as yet.
“Listen, this title has already served as a stepping stone towards world title conquests if past champions are anything to go by.”
Gqola’s predecessor, Siyakholwa Kuse, has already made history by becoming the first-ever boxer from the Eastern Cape to win a WBC belt following his victory over Filipino Melvin Jerusalem in May.
Other boxers who won world titles from the divisions include Nkosinathi “Mabere” Joyi, who used the SA belt as a platform towards his IBF title conquest, while Zolani Petelo, who also won the IBF trinket, was the exception.
“Gqola is also in line to follow suit and carve his own international career using the title, and he has all the tools to do so,” Cecane said.
The win was Gqola’s seventh, marking his second defence since dethroning Mthokozisi Ngxaka in August 2025 in a fight which Boxing SA ordered a rematch on after the Ngxaka camp filed a protest.
Gqola repeated the feat in December to mark his first title defence.
Daily Dispatch
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