Forget the hype, the women’s bout between Monica Mkandla and Simamkele Tutsheni was the fight that held the Golden Gloves tournament together on Saturday night.
The rest of the bouts, especially the hyped-up main fight between Jose Kadima and Herbert Matovu, failed to deliver, while profuse bleeding by Juan Albert from bad cuts above his right eye gave boxing a bad image to the general public.
For casual viewers, this imagery reinforces long-standing arguments that boxing is barbaric or violent.
The main bout was effectively over after just 36 seconds.
It was hardly Kadima’s fault. The fact is that Matovu from Uganda is a cruiserweight, and the size difference was always likely to prove decisive.
Kadima — the Durban-based Congolese — landed about three power blows.
An uppercut almost ripped off Matovu’s head from his shoulders, and it quickly became clear he would not last long.
Kadima won the WBC Africa heavyweight belt without breaking a sweat, and he improved to nine wins with seven short-route victories.
The women’s contest, however, provided the night’s best boxing.
Trained by Vusi Mtolo, Zimbabwe’s Mkandla demolished Tutsheni, who could not finish the sixth round.
Whether Tutsheni still holds the IBO All Africa title remains unclear after the defeat. The Langa boxer absorbed significant punishment.
Her corner was led by SA-based Zimbabwean trainer Felix Venganayi.
Mkandla showed she is ready to test herself against stronger international opposition and maintained her unbeaten record at 10-0.
Albert suffered a sixth-round technical knockout loss to Belgium-based Congolese Jack Mulowayo due to bad cuts.
In another heavyweight bout, Ethan Peters pulverised Andre Bruwer into submission in two rounds, while Prichard Dube from Zimbabwe spoilt Sanele Sogcwayi’s unbeaten record. It was his first loss after five straight wins.
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