The victorious Lunga Sitemela and his workforce. (Photograph by Droeks Malan)
Lunga Sitemela put challenger Khanyile Bulana down and out within the fourth spherical to retain his South African junior light-weight title on the Vibrant Sports activities Centre in Cape City on Friday night time.
Sitemela received the title earlier this 12 months when he stopped Sibusiso Zingange. A dislocated shoulder pressured Zingange to retire in his nook initially of the tenth spherical. Zingange was nonetheless forward on the playing cards, though Sitemela was approaching. It was an unsatisfactory victory, and Cape City’s solely nationwide titleholder was keen to indicate that he was certainly a worthy champion.
It was clear from the outset that the rangier Bulana’s plan was to field behind his jab. He tried onerous to determine the punch within the first spherical whereas shifting across the ring however discovered solely sporadic success. Sitemela stored after him, touching him once in a while with a straight proper to the physique earlier than touchdown the identical punch to the pinnacle. Sitemela closed the spherical with a mixture to the physique.
Within the second, Sitemela drove some onerous hooks to the physique, adopted by the odd overhand proper. It was apparent that Bulana was very uncomfortable on the within. He tried his finest to spoil any close-up preventing. He grabbed, pushed and pulled at any time when he might and even tried to toss his opponent over the ropes at one stage. His ways elicited a number of warnings from referee Deon Dwarte.
True to his “Strain Cooker” moniker, Sitemela stored coming. He landed a left hook on the button and adopted it up with a proper to the physique of a retreating Bulana, who went down for a rely of eight. Bulana noticed out the spherical, nevertheless it was not trying good for the challenger.
Bulana landed a straight proper bang on the chin of Sitemela to begin the third, nevertheless it failed to show the battle round. Sitemela took it nicely and stored coming. He landed some good mixtures to the physique of Bulana, who responded by attempting to seize his opponent’s legs. Moments later, Bulana tossed Sitemela to the ground. Sitemela acquired up and landed a left hook to the temple, which elicited extra holding from Bulana, forcing the referee to deduct some extent.
Within the fourth Bulana let fly with a mixture, attempting desperately to show the tide, however to no avail. Sitemela simply continued touchdown mixtures to the physique and head till a straight proper to the temple dumped Bulana on the seat of his pants within the impartial nook, the place he was counted out on the 2:58 mark.
Daniel Pontac (Photograph by Droeks Malan)
With the victory, Lunga Sitemela improves to 15-1 with 9 knockouts whereas Bulana drops to 12-2. A quantity punching, swarming, stress fighter, Sitemela is rarely in a nasty battle.
In the primary supporting bout, flyweight prospect Daniel Pontac improved to 7-0 with 5 knockouts when he stopped Mzwabantu Dabaza within the ninth spherical in an entertaining affair.
Issues heated up within the second spherical when Pontac began digging in strong photographs to the physique. Dabaza responded with mixtures to the pinnacle, however they had been principally ineffectual, Pontac managing to catch the blows on his gloves and arms.
Pontac introduced a proper uppercut into play within the third. The spherical noticed some huge exchanges of which Pontac principally acquired the most effective, however Dabaza stored preventing again.
He harm Dabaza with a straight proper within the fifth, which triggered him to stumble backward and even do a Jimmy Younger by sticking his head exterior the ropes. Simply because it seemed like he was able to name it quits, Dabaza immediately exploded on Pontac with a mixture of blows, which prompted return fireplace from the undefeated prospect.
Pontac bent Dabaza over with a thudding left hook to the liver within the sixth, however he couldn’t discover the shot to place him away.
Dabaza’s assaults grew an increasing number of sporadic because the rounds glided by, and with Pontac choosing his spots, the top was sure to come back.
Pontac lastly harm Dabaza once more with a proper uppercut within the ninth. He adopted that up with a trio of left hooks which knocked Dabaza into the ropes. Pontac merely let the punches fly till referee Sipho Ndongeni had no alternative however to step in on the 2:35 mark.
The gutsy Dabaza drops to 11-11-1.
Undercard outcomes:
Thembani Mbangatha KO 2 Thabiso Zakhe (junior light-weight)
Malangana Nzama W UD 4 Tasriq Sayed (junior middleweight)
Simamkele Tutsheni W MD 4 Lufuno Muntshayi (feminine featherweight)
Pierre Lyle Fischer KO 2 Takalani Ramuedi (featherweight)
The event was offered by Jackie Brice Boxing Promotions.
