Sithembiso Mkhize
OMUNYE wabaqeqeshi abahlonishwayo esibhakeleni uZwe Magudulela ubona lisengozini ikusasa lomshayisibhakela uThulani “Tulz” Mbenge uma ephinda ehlulwa empini azoyilwa ngoMgqibelo.
Ku lempi okungeyosuku emqhudelwaneni ohlewe iTLB Boxing Promotions kaLehlohonolo Ledwaba noJoyce Kungwane, uMbenge uzobanga ibhande elingaphethwe muntu le -ABU Welterweight noKuvesa Katembo waseDRC. Izimpi ziqala ngo-6 ntambama eKlipspruit Sport Centre, eSoweto. Kazivunyelwe izihlwele ngenxa yemithetho yeCovid-19. Amabhokisa azolwa abeqale ukuvaleleka endaweni ehloliwe ngeSonto.
UMbenge uya kweyangoMgqibelo ephuma esibhaxwini sikaSebastian Formella waseGermany kweyayingoJulayi nyakenye. Kuyo waphucwa i-IBO Welterweight ayeyithathe kuDiego Gabriel Chaves wase-Argentina ngo-2018.
UMagudulela osekhiqizele iKwaZulu-Natal, okubalwa uWiseman “ Sabalutho” Dlomo owayephethe ibhande lakuleli losondonzima, uthe kuyinto ejwayelekile ukuthi uma ibhokisa elilwa ngaphansi kweGolden Gloves kaRodney Berman like lahlulwa lingabe lisafakwa emqhudelwaneni olandelayo. Uthe ukholelwa ekutheni uBerman udedele uMbenge ukuyolwa ezimpini zeTLB ngoba agcina eshaywe uFormella. Uthe uma ehlulwa ngoMgqibelo usengozini yokuhamba unomphela ngaphansi kweGolden Gloves.
“IGolden Gloves kayicucuzi, uma nje ibhokisa layo like lahlulwa, emqhudelwaneni olandelayo lishiywa ngaphandle. Libuyiswa ngoba selinqobile. Ngesifanayo-ke nakuMbange, kumele alwele ukufa nokuphila. Elinye ibhokisa engibona kuphelile phakathi kwalo nenkampani kaBerman, uKeato Gomes ophinde wahlulwa uLebogang Mashitoa ngeledlule. Ngokuzayo kangimboni ebuyiswa,” kubeka lo mqeqeshi.
Mayelana nempi yangoMgqibelo, uMagudulela owapheka noChristopher Buthelezi, Siboniso Gonya, Innocent Mantengu asebeke baphatha amabhande, uthe:” Ngimbona enqoba ngamaphuzu uMbenge, empeleni ngale mpi kubuyiswa umgqigqo wakhe. Ikhona nje ukuthi empini yakhe yokugcina noFormella wayehlikelwe yizinga”.
UMbenge oseke waphatha ibhande lakuleli le-Welterweight nele-WBC International usanqobe izimpi eziwu-15, wahlulwa kweyodwa. Ngakolunye uhlangothi uKatembo usawine eziwu-13, wahlulwa kwezimbili wase elwa ngokulingana kweyodwa.
Kwezinye izimpi kuzolwa uXolani “ Nomeva” Ndongeni noPrince Dlomo bazolwa kwiLightweight bese uKhaya Busakwe evikela isicoco saseGauteng seLightweight kuKabelo Bikitsha. ULucky Monyembane uzoxhimfana noSifiso Hlongane kwi-Junior Light kuthi uDoctor Ntsele alwe noThato Bonokoane kwi-Junior Featherweight. Kweyabesifazane, uMellisa Muller uzolwa no-Ellen Simwaka waseMalawi.