Some may describe it as a blessing in disguise, but for Phaphama Rhonorhono, the cancellation of his SA welterweight title defence against Jabulani Makhense in Limpopo this Friday hurts like losing the title by a knockout.
Mthatha’s Rhonorhono was scheduled to risk belt against huge favourite Makhense in Malamulele amid concerns about his willingness to go to enemy territory for his first defence.
The fight, which was to form part of former three-time world champion Isaac Hlatshwayo’s Angel Boxing Promotions show, was eventually called off when Hlatshwayo could not secure funding.
Hlatshwayo was quoted as saying the primary funder withdrew, leaving the tournament in dire financial straits, with attempts to secure replacement funding coming to nought, leaving him with no choice but to cancel the whole show.
While Rhonorhono was listed as a heavy underdog with questions asked about him risking the title in the opponent’s backyard, his mentor, Madoda “One More Time” Dyonase, is crying bitterly about the cancellation.
“It has hit us where it hurts most because we were already zoned in for the fight,” he said.
“My boy was spitting fire in the gym, determined to make people eat humble pie.”
Though he lamented the lack of support by the municipality in their area, forcing them to defend the title in their opponent’s backyard, Dyonase had already psyched up Rhonorhono to accept the road warrior mentality.
He did that when he travelled to Cape Town to take the title with a second-round knockout of Wasim Chellan in September 2025.
“We have embraced the fact that we will have to beat up opponents in their own backyard because, sadly, we are not getting any support back home.
“So you can imagine how disappointed the boy is with the cancellation, especially after Makhense’s people spoke as if he was going to take candy from a kid.”
Makhense was once touted as the next welterweight superstar earning a big contract under Golden Gloves Promotion before his bubble was burst by Mdantsane’s Thulani Mbenge with a knockout.
He is now in the rebuilding stage of his career.
Having suffered all three of his losses against elite opposition in 19 bouts, he was tipped to be too experienced for the five-fight novice Rhonorhono, even though the Mthatha boxer had won all his bouts by stoppages.
Dyonase said beating Makhense was going to give his boxer’s career a big boost.
“People were going to sing his name after this bout, with potential offers expected to come through.
“I see others feel the cancellation is a blessing in disguise, but I reject that with the contempt it deserves.
“This has robbed us of an opportunity to introduce ourselves in the mainstream boxing business.”