A prophecy by his ailing grandmother before she passed away has fuelled Bongani Fule’s drive to not only retain the provincial title but also fulfil his dream of becoming an SA champion.
Fule faces Yamkela Phaliso in a high-stakes provincial featherweight title clash at East London’s Orient Theatre on March 30.
The clash will be part of the Southpaw Feast Festival headlined by Azinga Fuzile against Argentinian Walter Matias Leiva in an international junior-lightweight bout.
Fule, from Makhanda, has since relocated to Mdantsane to pursue his boxing dream with the blessings of his late grandmother, Nonceba, before she died early in January.
Fule quit his day job to pursue his boxing dream.
And before Nonceba died at the age of 80, she called her grandson to her hospital bedside and told him of the dream she had about him.
“She was already on oxygen life support, unable to breathe on her own, when she motioned to nurses to call Bongani,” manager Andile Mshumpela said.
“When he arrived she took off the oxygen support and spoke to him, telling him to not give up boxing because she had a dream about him standing in the ring while his opponent was being counted out.”
A few days later, she died and, a fortnight ago, was buried in Makhanda where Fule was accompanied by his Luvuyo Tyamzashe boxing club stablemates and handlers.
Since the prophecy, the unbeaten 25-year-old Fule has doubled his training regimen, pushing himself to the limit to realise Nonceba’s dream.
He was already a hard worker in his pursuit of boxing glory but the validation has since solidified his quest to become only the second boxer from Makhanda to win the SA belt.
Mziwoxolo Ndwayana achieved the feat by beating Shaun Ness in 2018 to win the SA welterweight title.
Mshumpela has already mapped out Fule’s plans, as a convincing win over Phaliso would vault his seventh-ranked star into the title mix.
Phaliso is ranked third, having failed in his last bout to unseat current SA champion Zolisa Batyi in August in East London.
“A victory in his fight will likely take us to a mandatory spot and wait for whatever happens with the title.”
Batyi is scheduled to defend the belt against KwaZulu-Natal’s Lindelani Sibisi in East London on April 27 in what will reportedly be his last defence before abdicating the throne.
It will be interesting if fifth-ranked Lindokuhle Khuzwayo, who was initially approached to face Batyi before negotiations broke down, will get the title shot by then.
Whatever happens, Fule will remain patient, banking on fulfilling his grandmother’s dream.
Daily Dispatch
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