With just one defence of his SA junior-flyweight belt, fast-rising Mdantsane southpaw Siseko Teyisi has dared anyone looking to topple him to try their luck.
The towering 20-year-old made the call through his promoter, Xaba Promotions, three weeks after registering the maiden defence of the title by out-duelling Abongile Jacob in a fiery fight at East London’s Abbotsford Christian Centre.
In a clash that pitted Mdantsane’s former national amateur champions and unbeaten stars against each other, Teyisi surprisingly dominated Jacob, scoring a knock-down on the way to a lopsided points victory.
It was the first time Teyisi heard the final bell, having halted all six of his previous opponents.
While he coasted to a comfortable win, albeit failing to stop Jacob, Teyisi showed vast improvement under the tutelage of Myamezeli Shosha, who was not shy to criticise his charge’s often wild attacks and reliance on brawn despite his reach and height attributes.
For the first time, Teyisi was able to initiate offence from a long jab, making it impossible for Jacob to barge in until late in the fight.
Because of his vaunted power, fighting in the trenches is a risky strategy for his opponents, who usually opt to fight from a distance, where they become targets for the youngster’s long arms.
Teyisi’s performance so impressed XB boss Ayanda Matiti that he declared the youngster the next boxing star from the region.
“I am under no illusion to say that Teyisi will sweep through any opponents from the mini-flyweight to the junior-flyweight divisions in the country,” he said.
“He is deceptively good, though those watching him from a distance may think he is beatable but try to get in the ring with him and you will find out.”
Teyisi’s defence against Jacob was mandatory, but his camp is not fazed by forgoing a voluntary option in favour of another mandatory defence, underlining their confidence in him.
“If there is another one willing, he must come; in fact, we can do another derby in his next fight.”
Matiti even dared world-rated Beaven Sibanda to try his luck after the Zimbabwean continued with his good run against Eastern Cape boxers by beating Nhlanhla Tyirha in a controversial split decision last week.
Sibanda, who trains under Vusi Mtolo at the Brian Mitchell Academy in Johannesburg, suffered his lone loss in nine bouts when he went down to Mdantsane’s Siyakholwa Kuse, who has since become his stablemate.
“I would bet everything I have on Teyisi knocking out Sibanda before the eighth round if they were to fight,” Matiti said.
Daily Dispatch
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