INKAKHA kwezamankomane kuleli, uDingaan “The Rose of Soweto" Thobela, ikhala ngabashayisibhakela abehlisa izinga lalo mdlalo lapha eNingizimu Afrika.
Ngeminyaka yo-1990, kwakuma yonke into uma uThobela ezongena eringini kugqolozelwe amathelevishini kubukelwa izimpi zakhe. Uma enqobile kwakuchwaza imigwaqo emalokishini, kubizwa igama le-“Rose of Soweto”.
Waba ngowesili kuleli ukunqoba ibhande le-WBC middleweight elandela uThulani “Sugarboy” Malinga.
Leli bhande lihlonishwa ukuwedlula wonke emhlabeni. Phakathi kwabantu abalinqobile kubalwa uMohammad Ali, owayeyibhokisa lase-USA, ongasekho.
Kuze kube yimanje uyena uThobela noMalinga okwagcina ngabo lapha eMzansi ukuthi banqobe leli bhande elihlonishwa umhlaba wonke.
Zikhona izinsizwa zakuleli esezike zalilwela leli bhande kodwa zakhala ngaphansi. Ukusho ezimbalwa, uThanbiso "The Rock" Mchunu, noGideon Buthelezi nabanye.
UThobela oke waphatha nebhande le-WBO kuyo i-middleweight, utshele Isolezwe ukuthi nakuba isiyindlala imiqhudelwa yalo mdlalo kodwa nabashayisibhekela bakithi sebengamavila.
“Kulihlazo ukuthi kumabhande amane omhlaba akekho noyedwa owakithi ophethe elinye lawo. Kugcine ngoMthalane (Moruti) noZolani Tete. Akukuhle lokho. Ungangizwa kabi, nasesikhathini sethu sasinganqobi amaningi kodwa besizama. Yingakho besinabantu abafana noJacob Matlala nabanye. Besililwela izwe lethu. Kwesinye isikhathi kuyasiza ukulwela izwe lakho wena bese uzibeka ngemuva. Uyathanda awuthandi, izwe lakho liyohlale lingelakho.
“Kumabhande ahlonishwa umhlaba wonke, kuzozonke izisindo asinamuntu. Ngeke madoda kuyagangwa, asisebenzeni, ayikho le nto,“ kusho uThobela.
Njengoba kuhlalwe kukhalwa ngokuthuthukiswa kwebhola emazingeni aphansi, uThobela usho okufanayo ngesibhakela.
"Ibuhlungu into engiyibona yenzeka esibhakeleni. Amabhokisa ethu ethushuka esibhakeleni esikhokhelayo engazange alubhade kwesama-amesha. Kumele sisebenze kanzima ukuze sizokwazi ukuba ezingeni elifanele. Uma uzwa kahle umlando wamabhokisa afana noFloyd Mayweather noManny Pacquiao, ahlale isikhathi eside kuma-amesha. Nathi kuzomele senze okufanayo," kusho uThobela.