Phikelelani “Stinger” Khumalo returns to The Station Urban Event Space in Durban on August 30 and this time the former professional footballer from uMthwalume in Durban will defend his SA middleweight crown against Siphiwe Mbhele.
That is where Khumalo cemented his stay in the fight game by winning the ABU Southern African Development Community (SADC) belt last September, three years after he swapped soccer boots for boxing gloves.
Khumalo captured the SA title in March and will defend against Mbhele, the No 6 contender, because other contenders, except for Donjuan “Iron Dragon” van Heerden, don’t qualify to challenge for a national title because they lost their last matches.
Van Heerden is the No 1 contender. His manager, Colleen McAusland, said promoter Rodney Berman has big plans for the newly crowned ABU champion.
BSA’s KwaZulu-Natal manager, Mlungisi Dube, who will be the tournament supervisor, said Khumalo and Mbhele were meant to fight in December 2023, but Mbhele pulled out, citing poor health.
Their 12-rounder will headline the tournament, organised by promoters Nomvelo Magcaba Shezi and Njabulo Ntuli.
Shezi staged Khumalo’s fight against Faustin “Bouckson Boom Boom” Bukasa of the Democratic Republic of Congo for the ABU SADC belt and the left-hander pulverised the Congolese into submission over seven rounds.
In the same tournament, Shezi’s younger brother, Nthethelelo “The Hurricane” Magcaba and Mnelisi Ndlovu also won ABU SADC belts in the junior-bantamweight and bantamweight categories, respectively.
Khumalo’s gym mate, Snamiso Ntuli, will be involved in what could be his warm-up fight for the SA super middleweight fight.
Ntuli will take on Thembani “Spanner Boy” Mhlanga over eight rounds. Ntuli has already lodged a formal challenge for the national belt that is held by Asemahle “The Predator” Wellem, who has not defended since he was crowned in 2022.
Magcaba, Ndlovu, Andile Mntungwa, Siphesihle “The Champ” Mntungwa and Gcina “The Eagle” Makhoba will also be in action in other non-title bouts.
Dube said: “Snamiso and Ntethelelo must win their fights because they are mandatory challengers for national titles in their respective weight divisions.”
The junior bantamweight title is vacant. Lwando Mgabi lost it on the scale for his defence against Sechaba “Simply the Best” Zuma on June 7.
The fight went ahead, and Mgabi beat Zuma, but could not be crowned because he could not make the weight limit.
“These are exciting times for boxing in KwaZulu-Natal,” said Dube, “with a new promoter working together with Nomvelo, who will show him the ropes.”
Action will start at 2pm.
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