UBHEKE ukuzuza lukhulu esibhakeleni umshayisibhakela, uPhikelelani "Stinga" Khumalo, olaxaze ibhola likanobhutshuzwayo wajoyina amankomane.
UKhumalo (24) waseMthwalume, KwaZulu-Natal, ukhulele enkulisa yeLamontville Golden Arrows engumgadli othembisayo ngaphansi komqeqeshi uMandla Ncikazi.
Ushiye kuBafana Bes'thende ngo-2019, wajoyina iqembu leDStv Diski Challenge leMaritzburg United ngaphansi komqeqeshi uPeter Petersen. Ngo-2020, ungene kwezamankomane, wafudukela eGauteng nomqeqeshi uVusi Mtolo ngaphansi kwesitebele iGolden Gloves Promotions kaRodney Berman.
Ngempelasonto edlule, eGreyville Convention Centre, eThekwini, uKhumalo ushiye abantu bengawuvali umlomo ngekhono lakhe, ewina ibhande leKZN Junior Middleweight ehlula ngomngqimuzo womlalisa phansi uNgcebo Sibiya, ngomzuliswano wesihlanu. Izimpi bezihlelwe yiSiyathaba Boxing Promotions kaSandile Vilakazi ngokubambisana noMnyango wezeMidlalo, ezobuCiko namaSiko.
"Ngicabanga ukuthi kube wubizo ngoba izinto zami bezihamba kancane ebholeni. Ngithole ukuthi nginekhono esibhakeleni ngagxila kusona, ngalishiya ibhola. Angizisoli ngaleso sinqumo. Eminyakeni emibili noma emithathu ezayo, ngizobe ngimkhulu kakhulu esibhakeleni. Ngifuna ukubuyisa isibhakela eKZN. Ngiyafisa ukubuya ngizolwa ekhaya nangokuzayo," kusho uKhumalo.
Bekuyimpi yesithupha kaKhumalo selokhu eqale isibhakela esikhokhelayo. Usahlulwe kanye. Uyise, uReggie Khumalo, uthe kwamcacela esemncane umfana wakhe ukuthi unamakhono amaningi.
"Ubemuhle kakhulu ebholeni ngesikhathi eliqala. Kodwa ngokubuka ukuthi useneminyaka engu-19, sibonile ukuthi alisekho ithuba lokuthi angaphumelela. Ngenxa yokuthi ngangikuqaphele ukuthi unamakhono amaningi, ngimgqugquzele ukuthi angene esibhakeleni.
“Esemncane wayedlala ne-basketball. Ngemuva kokuhamba komuntu owayemqeqesha, ngamfaka ebholeni. Ngokubona ukuthi ibhola lingasawavezi amathuba, ngimfake esibhakeleni, wangena khaxa," kusho uReggie.
Uqhube wathi ukuwina ibhande laseKZN, kwendodana yakhe kuzoyivulela amanye amathuba nokubonwa wumhlaba ukuthi ingakwenza okungaphezulu.
Kucacile ukuthi uKhumalo uyiqhawe ngakubo ngenxa yequlu labalandeli ebelimphelezela, limculela ngesikhathi eyongena eringini eGreyville. Umculo ubuqhuma phezulu nangesikhathi uKhumalo ewisa uSibiya ephindelela.
"Bekuyimpi enhle kakhulu. Bengazi ukuthi uthembe amandla ngakho ngizomshwebisa aze akhathale. Nganquma ukumgejisa bese ngimshaya. Ngimtholile, ngambona ukuthi akakwazi ukumelana nezibhakela, ngamfaka ingcindezi," kusho uKhumalo omncane.