Fuzile smashes Munyai in three rounds

By Ron Jackson
Photos: Nick Lourens

In an action-packed tournament at Emperors Palace near Kempton Park on Saturday night, South African featherweight champion Azinga Fuzile provided the highlight of the night when he smashed former Commonwealth bantamweight and IBO junior-featherweight champion Tshifhiwa Munyai to defeat inside three rounds in the first bout of the Super 4 featherweight competition.

After a quiet opening round the 21-year-old southpaw Fuzile (57.14 kg) picked up the pace in the second round and dropped his more experienced opponent with a left to the head.

The 32-year-old Munyai (56.94 kg) was not hurt and got up to finish the round.

In round three Fuzile dominated and sent Munyai down with a left to the head in the middle of the ring. He beat the count but soon afterward another stinging left sent Munyai down again.

He once again beat the count but soon afterward referee Ishmael Koali stepped in to wave the fight off at 2 minutes 41 seconds into the round to give Fuzile a stunning victory.

Munyai had no answer to the speed and southpaw stance of Fuzile.

Fuzile improved his record to 9-0; 4 and Munyai’s record dropped to 28-5-1; 16.

After this victory, Fuzile must be an overwhelming favorite to beat Lerato Dlamini the other winner in the Super 4 featherweight competition in the final next year.

The unused judges were Joseph Chaane, David van Nieuwenhuizen and Sylvia Mokaila.

In the second bout of the Super 4 featherweight competition Lerato Dlamini (57.02 kg) beat a well past his best former three-time world champion Simphiwe Vetyeka (57.14 kg) on a majority ten round points decision.

In a fight that never rose to any heights the younger Dlamini 10-1; 6 proved too strong for Vetyeka 29-4; 17 who looked jaded and sluggish and never really got into the fight.

Judges Ben Ncapayi and Simon Mokadi scored it 95-94 and 97-93 for Dlamini and judge Ishmael Koali had it 95-95.

In the main bout of the evening former South African light-heavyweight champion Ryno Liebenberg (75.80 kg) fighting at super-middleweight outpointed the WBA Pan African super-middleweight champion Patrick Mukula (75.75 kg) from the DRC over ten rounds in a closely fought slugfest.

The Pan African title was not at stake as Liebenberg 18-6; 12 proved just too experienced and strong for Mukula 12-2-1; 6 in a grueling affair.

The scores were 98-92, 97-93 and 96-94.

In the opening bout of the evening Deejay Kriel (47.44 kg) put in a competent performance to score an eight round majority points decision over Thembani Okolo.

The scores were 77-75, 79-73 and 76-76.

The tournament was presented by Rodney Berman of Golden Gloves Promotions.