RYNO Liebenberg said before his fight against Denis Grachev that he is well prepared and fit to take on the Russian, but what he didn’t expect was to be on the back foot so early in the fight.
Silver Salvo was held on Saturday August 9 and presented by Golden Gloves Promotions in conjunction with Emperors Palace.
The fight between Liebenberg and Grachev will go down in the record books as the best bout the boxing fraternity has seen this year.
The two boxers were evenly matched not only in skills, but also in their approach to a boxing bout. Their skills were tested by each other in full. None of the two fighters gave an inch and it was a question of endurance to the final bell in the twelve-rounder.
Liebenberg defeated his Russian opponent for the vacant WBC Silver light-heavyweight title on a unanimous points decision coming from the judges. The scoreboard was: Lateef Muiss of Nigeria had it 120-108, SA’s Joe Chaane scored it 117-111 and Kevin Scott in the US returned a card of 116-112.
The big surprise for Liebenberg came in the first round, when he was cut above the right eye, which hampered his sight. “I was cut in the first round and couldn’t see a thing, but I knew what I was supposed to do.” said Liebenberg. “This guy just didn’t go away, he kept on coming towards me and it was the most difficult opponent that I have ever boxed.”
Throughout the fight Liebenberg was tortured by Grachev, as he was pounding him on his right eye. But Liebenberg stayed well with his spirits and game plan to emerge as victor. He also showed that he is a well groomed boxer by his training camp under the watchful eye of Colin Nathan from HotBox gym. He showed patience when it mattered the most and his accuracy on the Russians’ face paid off.
Grachev also received a cut on his head in the latter rounds and his right eye was also swollen as Liebenberg was targeting him with short left hooks. Grachev impressed with his work rate and came at Liebenberg hard and fast.
The South African extended his unbeaten record to 16 fights in front of a roaring crowd to notch up the WBC belt.
Promoter Rodney Berman was delighted. “This fight was important for SA boxing,” he said, no doubt referring to the general gloom around the local scene.’
Minister of Sport and Recreation Mr Fikile Mbalula was also present to experience one of the better tournaments in South Africa this year. “Boxing is well and alive and this tournament is proof of that.”
In a very controversial event, IBO junior-featherweight title holder, Thabo Sonjica from the Eastern Cape, lost his title on the scale.
The less said about Thabo Sonjica’s fight against Roli Gasca, the better. He came in late and overweight, a whopping 2,3kg, and had to forfeit his title. The title is now vacant as his opponent Roli Gasca from the Philippines merely had to win the twelve-rounder in order to win the title, but couldn’t do so. But a frustrated Sonjica surprisingly beat him and withheld the IBO junior-featherweight title from him.
It pointed to a sloppy attitude in the fight camp and cast a pall on an otherwise excellent night of boxing. Given the opportunity to fight at a grand venue like Emperors Palace, Sonjica instead cocked a snook at the promoters, who are unlikely to call him anytime soon.
The end couldn’t come soon enough. Scores were 117/109, 116/109, 116/109 in Sonjica’s favour.
Kevin Lerena posted his first fight in nine months, and looked rusty and not willing to go into a brawl of punches with his opponent, Marcos Antonio Aumada from Argentina. The two boxers fought in an international cruiserweight bout and showed their sportsmanship time and again. Lerena dominated Ahumada in an engaging eight-rounder that Lerena won on a point’s decision 77/75, 78/74, 79/73. He will be back again in September.
Ashley Dlamini, stablemate of Liebenberg, looked outstanding as he overpowered former Commonwealth Games competitor Thanduxolo Gatweni in one round. Dlamini won the junior-lightweight fight over six rounds, forcing a stoppage in the first round TKO 2:02.
In a junior-flyweight over six rounds, promising Thabang Ramagole was too good for Olwethu Ngamlana. Ramagole won TKO in the third 38 seconds.
