Kwisithuba nje seeveki ezimbini, uMzantsi Afrika wamkele intshatsheli yehlabathi yesibini. Oku kwenzeke emva kokuba uThulani Mbenge efumene itayitile ye-IBO welterweight eyamphuncuka ngonyaka ka2019 kwilizwe laseJamani – apho wabethwa khona nguSebastian Formela. UMbenge, 33, uqhekeze ngamanqindi uMichael McKinson waseNgilane emlweni obunemijikelo elishumi elinambini obubanjelwe eCopperbox Arena kwisixeko esikhulu ekuthiwa yiLondon ngempelaveki egqithileyo.
Emva kokuqhuba kakuhle emlweni, iijaji zimnike amanqaku ngolu hlobo: 116-112 (ezimbini), 117-111. Kumchwayitisile ukuba yintshatsheli yehlabathi kwakhona. “Ndivuke ndihlaziyekile, ndiyindoda entsha. Ngoku ndiyintshatsheli yehlabathi isihlandlo sesibini (IBO World Champion),” utshilo uMbenge phambi kokujongisa umbombo kowabo eMzantsi Afrika. UMbenge, oqeqeshwa nguSean Smith kwiphondo laseGauteng, uthi usanxanelwe ukuphumelela ezinye iitayitile zehlabathi.
“Ndisakunxanelwe ukuphumelela futhi ndiyakholelwa ukuba mininzi imilo endiseza kuyiphumelela. Ndikulungela ukuqubisana nomnye umntu omtsha. Umlo wona ubumhle kakhulu, andinaso isikhalo.
“Ndiye ndisazi ukuba kufuneka ndisebenze kakhulu ngoba bendidlalela kude ekhaya. Yiyo lo nto ndisebenzise amandla kakhulu emlweni nobuchule. Ngaphakoko uMcKinson ebeza kundongamela. Ndibulela bonke abantu abandixhasile kwade kwalapha,” utshilo uMbenge emva komlo eLondon.
Njengokuba ebebambe intshinga yoMzantsi Afrika, ngoku ayinamntu emva kokuba ephumelele intshina uMbenge ngempelaveki egqithileyo. Ukuphumelela kwakhe kuzise uncumo kubalandeli bamanqindi, ngakumbi abaseMpuma Koloni.
Into embi kukuba uMbenge, uSivenathi Nontshinga noPhumelela Cafu – babeziintshatsheli zehlabathi emva kokufudukela eGauteng – apho kukho amathuba angcono. UMbenge noCafu ziintshatsheli zehlabathi ezaveliswa apha kwiphondo leMpuma Koloni.
UTashreeq Morris wonzakalise Amakhosi emdlalweni weBetway Premiership