One of the most eagerly anticipated boxing rivalries involving Mdantsane and Duncan Village will play out at the Portuguese Hall in Johannesburg when Mthokozisi Ngxaka defends his SA mini-flyweight title against Thinumzi Gqola on Sunday.
Mdantsane-trained Mthatha boxer Ngxaka will bid for the maiden defence of his belt against Gqola in yet another instalment of the traditional rivalry involving the two townships.
However, the fact that the bout will take place at a foreign venue without the vociferous support it would have enjoyed back home is a downer, with both camps having expressed disappointment.
“I wish this bout could have been held either at the Orient Theatre or any East London venue for that matter, but here we are, we will have to take what we get,” Gqola’s trainer, Ncedo Cecane, said.
Ngxaka, whose camp engineered the change of venue after getting financial assistance in Johannesburg, attributed the move to the lack of support in East London.
“Boxing is a business, sometimes you go where the money is and this time the financial help came from Johannesburg,” Ngxaka’s manager, Mla Tengimfene, said.
Though Ngxaka has his own dedicated promoter, Last Born Promotions, behind him, with Tengimfene one of the directors, the offer by Glove & Glory Promotion, formerly Bonglez Promotions, was too good to resist.
The two boxers were last in action on the same card promoted by Last Born Promotions in East London in March when they scored stirring knockout victories.
Ngxaka stopped Thami Luthuli to win the vacant title, while Gqola destroyed previous SA title challenger Malakhi Sobolo in one round.
On paper, Ngxaka has a better fight record with just two losses and a draw in 12 bouts suffered in back-to-back fights against Jake Amparo and Beaven Sibanda when he appeared to be going off the rails.
He regrouped under Tengimfene by winning the provincial title with an impressive nine-round stoppage of then top-rated Siphesihle Sityo, who was destined for the SA title shot.
Gqola’s win over Sobolo remains his biggest, owing to the spotlight on Sobolo after he hogged the headlines for appearing on the television series, Uyajola Nine Nine, embroiled in a street brawl.
Cecane, who had been with Gqola since his second bout, said there was more to his prodigy than the destruction of Sobolo, which was his first stoppage win.
“He has been hungry for this opportunity and is a workaholic in the gym.
“He is determined to grab it with both hands and change his life.”
Though he is fighting away from home, Gqola is planning to create a homeground advantage by transporting his supporters to the venue.
Daily Dispatch
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