Mgabi takes lessons in defying scales as he jumps two divisions

Lwando Mgabi’s handlers have vowed never to repeat the mistake of letting him fight in a division with a weight he struggles to make as he jumps two weight classes for his ring return in two weeks.

The Duncan Village towering boxer was a shadow of his former self when he meekly surrendered against Moyisi Booi in a bid to regain the SA junior bantamweight title in December.

After starting well in the first round, the bubble suddenly burst when he was rocked by Booi’s big shots until he succumbed in the fourth round to mark his first professional loss in 10 bouts.

The loss not only took the boxing fraternity by surprise, it left his camp crestfallen and searching for answers, though his battle with the scales had been documented.

Mgabi’s manager, Mla Tengimfene, said the lesson learnt from the bout was that a boxer should not be fixated on making weight when preparing for a fight as that messes with the fight strategy.

“Had it not been for that loss, Lwando would be a champion by now, but we paid dearly for not heeding the weight struggle,” he said.

We do not know what will happen with Hem regarding the junior featherweight title, but if he vacates we want to position Mgabi to contest it

—  Mla Tengimfene, Lwando Mgabi’s manager,

Detractors were surprised by Mgabi’s daring antics to try to squeeze his bulky frame into the junior bantamweight division. But as the adage goes, a loss humbles a boxer, and Mgabi will jump two divisions to campaign in the junior featherweight, with a June 26 date scheduled for him to face Thabang Mofula at the Orient Theatre in KuGompo City.

The fight will form part of the Xaba Promotions tournament under which the Mgabi-Booi bout took place.

Tengimfene said the fight was a result of a bet he entered into with XP boss Ayanda Matiti that if Azinga Fuzile beats X-promoted Asanda Gingqi on April 24, he would choose a bout of his choice in the subsequent Matiti show.

“I am glad XP has kept its promise and allowed me to choose this bout.”

The bout has become more significant as it paves the way for Mgabi to succeed XP-promoted SA junior featherweight champion Siyabulela Hem, whose days as the title holder are becoming slim owing to a weight struggle.

Hem suffered an upset 10th-round stoppage loss to unheralded Democratic Republic of Congo’s Ardy Katompo in the Fuzile-Gingqi undercard. Though the fight was contested at the featherweight division, Hem appeared emaciated, raising doubts if he would be able to drop down to junior featherweight to defend the title.

However, Matiti insisted Hem would not relinquish the belt and would remain a champion in the junior featherweight despite the impossibility of making the weight.

Tengimfene said the plan was for Mgabi to challenge for the SA junior featherweight belt before the end of the year.

“We do not know what will happen with Hem regarding the junior featherweight title, but if he vacates we want to position Mgabi to contest it.”

KwaBhaca-born, Cape Town-based Khaya Mlata has been approved as a challenger for Hem’s title, with Mgabi hoping to be his opponent if Hem vacates.

Interestingly, Mgabi publicly challenged Hem to a fight in the media briefing for his fight with Booi.

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