Sweet revenge for Mchunu as he wraps up the year with a win

BEATEN by a better boxer, who outclassed him in every aspect of boxing, that is what Tommy Oosthuizen had to end his year off.

Repeat and Revenge Box ‘n Dine was stage on December 8 by Golden Gloves promotions in conjunction with AfricanRing at Emperors Palace.

Thabiso Mchunu became the new African Boxing Union, ABU and South African Cruiserweight title holders as he dispersed of Oosthuizen in great fashion.  He got his repeat of the previous encounter in which Oosthuizen was announced the winner in September and then came the sweet revenge.

The Smith Gymnasium, worked on an adapted style of Mchunu to outgun Oosthuizen in front of a sell-out crowd to take full laurels for his efforts. From round one to twelve the he was never in trouble showing maturity with body shots well timed and then went upstairs to blow the wind out of Oostuizen sting.

Mchunu led after the first four rounds, as per ABU rules that the scorecard has to be revealed every four rounds. On the count of eight rounds there was no coming back for Oosthuizen, as his opponent was way in front with a score 80/72, 79/73, 79/73. Oosthuizen was now gunning for a knockout situation which never realised and Mchunu wrapped it all up winning a unanimous points’ decision from the judges 119/109, 118/111, 119111.

In the other big fight of the evening IBO welterweight champion, Thulani Mbenge, also fighting out of the Smith’s gymnasium, only posed trouble challenger Miguel Vazquez, from Mexico in the first defence of his championship.

As tough that Mexicans can be, so was Vazquez, but Mbenge planted well placed punches which weakened the effectiveness of the Mexican. He eased through the rounds and was fearless dropping Vazquez to the canvas in the ninth with a devastating body shot. Vasquez finished the round, but didn’t get up from his corner to continue the bout.

Mbenge won his fight by TKO in the tenth round.

The shock of the evening came when Walter Dlamini rocked Wade Groth and claimed World Boxing Association, WBA Pan African and SA middleweight titles.

Dlamini was clearly the underdog against his counterpart also hailing from the South, but fighting under trainer and former champion, Lionel Hunter, a formidable plan came into action in the first round.

Dlamini came out charging in the first round over powered Groth and planted the perfect head shot which grounded Groth instantly not knowing where he was as he staggered to his feet taking the full count from referee Jaap van Niewenhuizen.

Dlamini won by KO in the first round 42seconds.

Opening the evening’s proceeding was another up and coming Southerner, Ricardo Malajika from Anton Gilmore gymnasiun, Box Office.

Only in his second professional fight he showed his intentions and his skills winning by TKO in the first round 2;29seconds against Tebogo Makwala. Malajika justified his reputation as he didn’t gave his opponenet one milimeter space to even gather himself and put up a fight.He is definitely a prospect for the future in boxing.

Also coming out of the Box Office and in his last fight of his career, Warren le Roux, galantly took on the powerhouse from the Smith gymnasiun, Keaton Gomes in a heavyweight contest over six round.

Unfortunately Le Roux had to bow out in the third after 2;34seconds handing Gomes a TKO.

Gomes threw well aimed punches to the head of Le Roux which left him with a bloodied nose and at the end he was too strong for Le Roux.

In the junior-middleweight bout between Boyd Allen, a former EFC fighter, and Wynand Mulder from No Mercy gymnasium there was not much to choose from.

Allen’s short right-hand blow came as lightning to finish off Mulder  two minutes away in the thrird round which left him reeling to the floor.

Allen can also look forward to extending his career in 2019 and has became favourite in the pugilist books.

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