THE Big Top Arena at Carnival CIty was sold out for the EFC 41 on Saturday July 1.
The energetic crowd was treated to a series of main event bouts that tested the athletes’ endurance to the limits. Together, the title bouts went the full distance and ended with unanimous decisions in both.
In the main event EFC bantamweight champion Demarte Pena, defended his title against the confident Cedric Doyle. Surprising many fans, Doyle nearly dropped the champion with a right hand in the opening round that opened up a cut above Pena’s eye. This was the contender’s only real threat as the fight turned progressively in Pena’s favour. The Angolan picked off his opponent in the remaining four rounds and maintained his status as the most dominant champion in EFC’s history.
The co-main event of the evening saw Michiel Opperman and Liam Cleland vie for the vacant middleweight title. The bout began as a striking and clinching battle of the feet which played to Opperman’s strengths. The third round saw a change in tactic from Cleland, who took the bout to the mat where he managed to control his opponent in the closing three rounds, taking the victory and claiming the middleweight strap.
In the main card’s third bout, heavyweight Danie van Heerden secured a victory after Mikixi verbally submitted in the second round. The visibly spent Angolan fighter failed to stand after being separated by the referee and the bout was called in favour of Van Heerden.
Lyle Karam and Mark Hulme’s bout turned out to be a technical showpiece. Karam managed to edge Hulme in the aggression stakes and was awarded a unanimous victory.
Wesley Hawkey vindicated his recent decision to take tutelage under the watchful eye of Morne Swanepoel by claiming a first round submission victory over Tumisang Madiba.
