Fight Night from The Carousel Casino
and Entertainment World, Cheyenne Saloon
By Ginge Ecob
25.10 - The Carousel Casino is North
of Pretoria in South Africa. There was a 5 fight card
on Wednesday 24th. October 2001.
The first fight was scheduled for 4 rounds in the
junior welterweight division between
Zola Dlamini 62.8 kgs (138.5 Lb.) making his pro debut
and Samuel Malinga 5-2-1 2 kos 62.9 kgs (138.6 Lb.)
This was a total mismatch and the fight was stopped
1 minute 56 seconds into the first round. Dlamini
really had no answer for the experience of Malinga.
Not a very good fight.
The second fight was in the junior featherweight division
and was scheduled for 6 rounds. It was between Jeffery
Mathebula 5-0-0 4 kos 54.9 kgs (121 Lb.) and Koos
Sibiya 4-3-0 no kos 55.7 kgs (122.8 Lb.) This was
another mismatch which thankfully only lasted up to
1 minute 18 seconds into the second round. This was
also not a good fight as it was totally one sided.
The third fight was a total farce. It was at catchweight
as one of the fighters could not make the junior flyweight
limit. The fight was between Thembinkosi Tywantsi
50.2 kgs (110.6 Lb.) 7-8-1 5kos and Mhikiza Myekeni
48.7 kgs (107.4 Lb.) 12-1-0 4 kos. This was another
mismatch as Tywantsi actually had a roll, of flab
over his abdomen. The fight was stopped 1 minute 19
seconds into the first round, Tywantsi kept grimacing
in pain so the ref called it off.
The fourth fight was labeled catchweight but I think
that it was actually just into the heavyweight limit.
It was between Johannes Mahlangu 90.6 kgs (199.8 Lb.)
1-1-0 1 ko. and Andre Fourie 87.8 kgs (193.5 Lb.)
1-0-0 1 ko. This was a brawl with Mahlangu bending
over and coming in swinging with round house and overhand
punches. Fourie did not know how to counter these
tactics. In the second round Fourie came in and fought
a much more scientific fight and at 41 seconds into
the second round he landed a classic upper cut and
that was the end. I think Fourie has a great future
in the sport. He is in excellent condition and you
can see that he will mature and develop into a very
good heavyweight.
The feature fight was for the South African Heavyweight
Title between Anton Nel, the champion, 106.2 kgs (234
Lb.) 10-6-2 7 kos and Sam Bokane, the challenger,
108 kgs (238 Lb.) 10-2-0 5 kos. Nel had knocked Bokane
out at 2 minutes 53 seconds onto the first round in
their previous meeting.
The first round was all Nel. He waded in trying to
catch Bokane with his big right hand. He holds his
left very low. Bokane was just trying to keep out
of trouble. Nel's round.
In the second round Bokane started boxing behind a
jab and Nel had no answer. Bokane's round.
The third round saw both men exchanging heavy punches.
Bokane caught Nel with a good right and he went down
for the eight count. This seemed to wake Nel up and
had Bokane in trouble and down a few seconds later.
Bokane took an eight count and the referee let the
fight carry on. Nel knocked Bokane down again and
the ref stopped the fight 2 minutes and 8 seconds
into the third round.
I was not impressed with the standard of the boxers
in the last fight. If this is the best in South Africa
at the moment then the heavyweight division there
is very weak. Neither Nel or Bokane would feature
against the young heavyweights in America or East
Europe.
