LINDA XIMBA
LIFUNA ukujabulisa uphromotha waKwaZulu-Natal olinike ithuba – selinuka iqaqa kwabanye – ngokunqoba esinye isicoco ngaphambi kokuyeka isibhakela ibhokisa laseCato Ridge, kulesi sifundazwe. USiphesihle Mntungwa (29) (osesithombeni) owake waba sematheni ngesikhathi ibhokisa ayeqhathwe nalo empini yebhande leWorld Boxing Federation (WBF) Lightweight, uSimiso Buthelezi, lishona ngemuva kwezinsuku ezintathu liphuthunyiswe esibhedlela saseThekwini ngoNhlangulana (June) eminyakeni emibili edlule, ufuna ukubonga uHlula Dladla.
Ukushona kukaButhelezi kwamlimaza kakhulu uMntungwa kangangokuba waze watshela ILANGA ukuthi usecabanga nokuzibulala ngoba abantu bakholwa wukuthi umbulale ngenhloso. Ngemuva kwaleso sigameko, kwabukeka ophromotha bemanqika ukumqhatha njengoba kwaphela unyaka wonke engayazi iringi. Ngesikhathi kubukeka kuzophela ngoMntungwa esibhakeleni, kuqhamuke uDladla wamnika ithuba ngokumqhatha nengqwele yeKZN Lightweight, uSandile Dumisa empini eyayise-Olive Convention Centre eThekwini ngoZibandlela (December) nyakenye.
Wahlulwa ngamaphuzu. Ngeledlule uhlule ngamaphuzu uKwenzokuhle Qwabe empini ye-junior welterweight ePortuguesse Hall. Lezi zip beziqhathwe ngokubambisana phakathi kweSiyathaba Boxing Promotions neLightning Promotions.
Emuva kwempi, uMntungwa ubonakale eqonda lapho bekuhleli khona uDladla, wamxhawula. “Bengiyobonga ngokukholelwa kwakhe kimi njengoba engimpintshisile kulo mqhu-delwano ngoba bengingaqhathiwe. Ngibonga ukunginika elinye ithuba. Kimina ukhombisa ukuba ngumzali onozwelo futhi ongangahluleli ngezigameko,” kusho leli bhokisa elinerekhodi lokunqoba izimpi eziwu-8, lahlulwa kabili kanti lisalwe kanye ngokulingana.
Ekhuluma naleli phephandaba uDladla, uthe uyajabula ukuthi isikhathi sakhe akasichithanga njengoba uMntungwa enqobile.
