In a battle of southpaws, Sibusiso Bandla won the South African flyweight title with a unanimous 12-round points decision over defending champion Xolisa Magusha at the International Convention Centre in East London on Saturday night.
Judges Allan Matakane and Sheshe Dungwa scored it 115-113 and judge Siya Vabaza-Booi had it 117-111.
After a quiet opening round, the No 4-rated Bandla (47.47kg) sent Magusha (47.60kg) crashing down against the ropes with an uppercut and a series of blows while he was down, where he took a count from referee Lulama Mtya.
However, this was the only real action and excitement in the fight as both fighters spent the rest of the time posing and throwing punches in the air.
Bandla was composed through most of the fight and showed good boxing skills despite his limited professional career, finishing strongly in the last three rounds to take the decision.
Bandla improved his record to 4-0-1; 2 and Magusha’s record dropped 13-6-1; 5.
AYANDA NDULANI WINS VACANT ABU TITLE
Ayanda Ndulani (47.35kg) won the vacant African Boxing Union minimumweight title with a ten-round points decision over Loyiso Ngantwini (47.35kg).
The scores were 99-91, 97-94 and 96-94.
Confusion reigned with this fight, which was originally announced as being for the vacant WBO Africa mini flyweight title and the television blurb had it as an eliminator for the South African minimumweight title.
Then it was announced from the ring as an ABU title fight.
The referee and the commentators were under the impression that the fight would be over 12 rounds, only to subsequently find out it was a ten-rounder.
OTHER RESULTS
In a complete mismatch, three-fight novice junior bantamweight Mzwabantu Mbhexeshi (52.05kg) was knocked out at 1 minute and 11 seconds of the second round by Ntlanta Ngantwini, who was having his 19th fight as a professional.
Emmany Kolombo (69.60kg) made it 13 fights inside the distance when he stopped Henriques Lando (69.10kg) at 1:53 of the fourth round, in a junior middleweight contest.
In a junior flyweight bout, Luyolo Mbombo beat Hloma Goniwe on a first-round knockout. Time was 1:42.
–supersport
