The highly contested mandatory SA featherweight championship between holder Lindelani “Sqhwaga” Sibisi and Bongani “King Killer” Fule will now take place on April 24, Sibisi’s trainer Nkosinathi Hlatshwayo has announced.
It was scheduled to take place on Saturday at Escourt Town Hall, although it was still unclear if Sibisi’s dance partner was going to be Fule or Siyabulela Hem.
That was to be decided by the arbitration tribunal, which was handling the matter after being approached by the board of Boxing SA to intervene.
The arbitration tribunal confirmed yesterday that Fule from the Eastern Cape was the appropriate mandatory contender for Sibisi.
Said Hlatshwayo: “We decided to postpone the fight just after the verdict.
“Luckily, Fule’s management was very understanding. I was not going to allow Lindelani to go ahead with this fight because, in truth, we would have trained specifically for Fule for one day, which is Thursday. After all, Friday is weigh-in.
”Even mentally, he was not okay. He wanted to fight because he said he’s fit mentally and he fears no one."
Sibisi is nicknamed “Sqhwaga”, which means a person who is a bully, stubborn, or someone who refuses to be controlled or told what to do.
Hlatshwayo said promoter Hlula Dladla – who was to stage the Sibisi-Fule bout jointly with his wife, promoter Hlengiwe Dladla – told him that Sibisi’s manager, Colin Natha, mentioned a tournament taking place at Wild Coast Sun on April 24.
“There was a discussion that Dladla must approach the promoter [Terry Anne Hart] and request space but pay the two boxers’ purses,” said Hlatshwayo.
Given that Nathan and Hart enjoy a cordial relationship, it was confirmed that Sibisi and Fule will do battle in the Fighters Club tournament on April 24.
The boy said he was fit physically but certainly disturbed mentally because of not knowing who to prepare for and how to prepare
— Nkosinathi Hlatshwayo
“The boy said he was fit physically but certainly disturbed mentally because of not knowing who to prepare for and how to prepare,” said Hlatshwayo.
“The promoter will pay Fule’s camp his 10% of the purse money.”
Fule and Hem prepared the way they would have wanted to because their opponent was always going to be Sibisi.
Sibisi, from Dundee in KwaZulu-Natal, the current IBF African title holder who once held the WBF Intercontinental and ABU belts, says he does not have much time left in boxing.
He wants to go back to teaching. He suspended that profession to give his all to boxing.
“I want to quit while all my faculties are still intact and go back to teaching,” he said.
Hlatshwayo said Sibisi’s preparations for April 24 begin next Monday.
His younger sister, Lethokuhle Sibisi, will be in action on Saturday in Dladla’s tournament at Escourt Hall in what will be her third professional fight.
The action will begin at 1pm.
Sowetan
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.