It was a perfect day out for Linden’s Alan Toweel Boxing Gym with three wins out of three, including a national title fight, at the last Young Gladiators event.
Before South Africa’s state of national disaster was declared due to the coronavirus, a capacity crowd Blairgowrie Recreation Centre was treated to five thrilling fights.
The most prominent was between Alan Toweel’s Tshifhiwa ‘Spider’ Munyai, who was ranked fourth in South Africa before the day, and SA lightweight titleholder Siphosethu Mvula.
It was a tough physical contest between the two. The rounds were close, but at the end Munyai still won by unanimous decision 118–110, 117–111 and 116–112 in judges’ scores to become the new South African lightweight champion.
“He won well but it was still a tough fight,” said coach Alan Toweel afterwards.
“The win came by a good margin but fights like it can have close rounds. Tshifhiwa fought South Africa’s best and he won, now he is South Africa’s best.”
World Boxing Association Pan-African champion, Akani ‘Prime’ Phuzi easily dispatched Maroy Sadiki of the Democratic Republic of Congo with a technical knock-out in the third round of their international cruiserweight fight.
This was Phuzi’s 11th win in his professional career, and he is still undefeated.
Super middleweight fighter, Frank Rodrigues also beat Stanis Apanu of the DRC by points in their six-rounder.
Toweel said boxing events have been put on hold for the time being, and organisers will look at things again only at the end of June or beginning of July for the next Young Gladiators.
“I have asked the guys to not come train at the gym as much but they are still keeping fit. They can run on their own and they still come to our gym to train but less often. We need to take it easy with the coronavirus.”
Details: Alan Toweel Boxing Gym 083 555 4634.
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