Sithembiso Mkhize
LINGASE lifezeke iphupho likampetha we-IBF Flyweight, uMoruti “Babyface” Mthalane lokulwela ngakubo, KwaZulu-Natal.
Isolezwe lithole ukuthi uMthalane usesayine inkontileka yokulwa noJason Mama wasePhillipines ngoDisemba, kepha usuku alukamenyezelwa. Le mpi iqhathwa nguNokwanda Mbatha weTono Boxing Promotions okuthiwa akasalali, ezama ukuhlanganisa abaxhasi bempi ezoba yindumezulu.
Kuthiwa uNokwanda uhlela ukuyiqhatha eMpangeni noma eThekwini. UMama ngokwezilinganiso ze-IBF, ukleliswe endaweni yesithathu.
UMthalane ovamise ukulwela phesheya wagcina ukulwa kuleli ngo-2017 eMmabatho Convention Centre eNorth West, no-Ardine Diale wasePhilippines. Wanqoba ngomcacamezelo womlalisa phansi. EThekwini wagcina ngo-2015 edudulana noRenz Rosia e-Olive Convention kubangwa i-IBO. Wanqoba ngendlela efanayo.
Selokhu abuyisa ibhande le-IBF ngo-2019 ngokwehlula uMuhammad Waseem empini eyayiseKuala Lumpur, eMalaysia, uMthalane usevikele ibhande eJapan naseChina.
Empini yakhe yokugcina ebingoDisemba, wabukisa ngo-Akira Yaegashi eYokohama. Ethintwa uMthalane ngalezi zindaba, uziqinisekile washaya ngamafuphi, wacela kuthintwe uNokwanda, ukuze akhiphe iminingwane. UNokwanda uthe: “ Ngeke ngikwazi ukuphawula, ngilinde iBSA (iBoxing South Africa) imemezele le mpi ngokusemthethweni”.
UNokwanda uvamise ukuqhatha izimpi eMpangeni, uzakhele udumo ngokuthola abaxhasi bezinkampani ezizimele.
UMthalane nguye yedwa okwamanje ophephezelisa ifulegi laseNingizimu Afrika ebalazweni lo mhlaba. Ukuba yingqwele ye-IBF kwenza uhlonishwe emhlabeni jikelele kwazise le nhlangano ibalwa nezine ezinkulu.
Uzanyelwa le mpi yangoDisemba nje, kuzokhumbuleka ukuthi umqeqeshi wakhe uCollin “Nomakanjani” Nathan waveza ukuthi iphupho labo ukuhlanganisa amabhande omhlaba. Kwake kwavela nokuthi kungenzeka aqhathwe nompetha we-World Boxing Council.
Leli bhokisa elidabuka eMpendle, lakhulela eLindelani, lisahlulwe kabili lashaywa uNkqubela Gwazela empini yesicoco sikazwelonke seFlyweight neseWBC International ngo-2004.