Kuse wins boxing’s biggest prize - the iconic WBC belt

A dream fulfilled.

There is no other way to describe Siyakholwa Kuse’s accomplishment after winning the prestigious WBC mini flyweight world boxing title.

Legends of the sport, like Muhammad Ali, Mike Tyson, Sugar Ray Leonard and Floyd Mayweather, have all built their legacies defending the WBC title, considered the top prize in professional boxing.

Until now, only three South Africans have earned the honour. Thulani Malinga and Dingaan Thobela won their belts in the super middleweight division, while Kevin Lerena is the reigning WBC bridgerweight holder.

Kuse dethroned Filipino Melvin Jerusalem via a unanimous points decision after 12 hard-fought rounds in front of an animated crowd at Emperors Palace, in Kempton Park, on Saturday evening.

Kuse later revealed that he had gone into the fight battling with sadness. “I lost my grandmother, who raised me in Mdantsane, while preparing for the fight. She was buried last week (May 9) - the day I jumped on the scale for the seven-day weigh in - and I could not bury her.

“So there was pressure on me to do it for myself, my grandmother and the whole of SA.

“Surely she’s happy where she is. I always promised her that I was going to be a world champ. Sadly I only achieved that after she had gone.”

Kuse is the first WBC world champion from the Eastern Cape, a province that has produced many world champions for other boxing organisations.

In March, Mdantsane-based junior featherweight Welcome Ncita became the first IBF world champion from the Eastern Cape when he beat Frenchman Fabrice Benichou in Tel Aviv, Israel, in a unanimous decision.

Born in Duncan Village and bred in Mdantsane, Kuse boxes for the Golden Gloves stable, as does Ncita.

Guided into battle by accomplished trainer Manny Fernandes, Kuse made up for his loss in Manila last October, when Jerusalem retained his belt at home.

Kuse won this weekend’s showdown with WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman and sports minister Gayton McKenzie in the audience.

Kuse only really began scoring with some good shots from round five, after perhaps discovering that two judges had Jerusalem ahead after four rounds.

Towards the end, despite being dropped in round 11, Kuse had already secured a points lead, and the scores after round 12 were 116-111, 116-112 and 115-112.

The excited father of one, after only his 14th pro fight, said: “I could not sleep. I am excited. This means a lot to me. I feel I did something very big.”

In another title fight on the card, Tayla Promnick won the SA mini flyweight belt from Thobela Nyanda after 10 rounds.

Jose Kadima beat Johnny Muller, while Sibusiso Zingange and Nethelelo Nkosi drew over eight rounds.

Heavyweight hopeful Juan Albert defeated Akani Phuzi over eight rounds.

Lloyd Cele sang the national anthem and all fights were televised live by SuperSport and streamed across the globe by iME.

The South African boxing fraternity is celebrating a fine victory after veteran promoter Rodney Berman delivered on his promise to bring Jerusalem to SA.

Sowetan