FIGHT fans and Doubting Thomases were left gasping in disbelief when Paul Kamanga knocked Irvin Buhlalu clean out in the first round of their junior-welterweight bout at Orlando Communal Hall in Soweto at the weekend.
Kamanga, 23, who is trained by Anton Gilmore, kept his slate clean with a 10th straight victory.
The supremely built boxer has not been given credit for his previous wins, some sceptics accusing his handlers of feeding him warm bodies. It is unclear whether this match-up was an effort by Kamanga's manager Brian Mitchell to silence the doubters.
A source said matchmaker Rueben Rasodi was told to match Kamanga with Buhlalu, the vastly experienced former All Africa and SA lightweight champion from Chesterville in Durban, on the Golden Gloves bill.
The result was Kamanga's seventh short-route win.
Buhlalu suffered his sixth KO in nine losses against 27 wins. The 39-year-old veteran was coming off a seventh-round stoppage by Thompson Mokwana.
Said Mitchell: "I couldn't be there, unfortunately, but I believe Paul looked brilliant. We are looking forward to a bright future for Paul."
One boxer for whom the Soweto venue is becoming a happy hunting ground is Sean Ness. The boxer from the south of Johannesburg, who is trained by Colin Nathan, Vusi Mtolo and Springkaan Khongoane, forced referee Thabo Spampool to intervene to save a visibly struggling Vusi Dladla in the fourth round.
That was Ness's fourth win at the venue next to Orlando Stadium.
Takiso Hlahane, a hot favourite who was fighting at home, suffered a unanimous points loss to Tumelo Pedi over six rounds.
In other results, Tsietsie Moremi beat Bongani Nkosi on points over four rounds, while Marcus Lebogo beat Justice Ndlovu with a TKO in round four.
Kamanga marches on
FIGHT fans and Doubting Thomases were left gasping in disbelief when Paul Kamanga knocked Irvin Buhlalu clean out in the first round of their junior-welterweight bout at Orlando Communal Hall in Soweto at the weekend.
Kamanga, 23, who is trained by Anton Gilmore, kept his slate clean with a 10th straight victory.
The supremely built boxer has not been given credit for his previous wins, some sceptics accusing his handlers of feeding him warm bodies. It is unclear whether this match-up was an effort by Kamanga's manager Brian Mitchell to silence the doubters.
A source said matchmaker Rueben Rasodi was told to match Kamanga with Buhlalu, the vastly experienced former All Africa and SA lightweight champion from Chesterville in Durban, on the Golden Gloves bill.
The result was Kamanga's seventh short-route win.
Buhlalu suffered his sixth KO in nine losses against 27 wins. The 39-year-old veteran was coming off a seventh-round stoppage by Thompson Mokwana.
Said Mitchell: "I couldn't be there, unfortunately, but I believe Paul looked brilliant. We are looking forward to a bright future for Paul."
One boxer for whom the Soweto venue is becoming a happy hunting ground is Sean Ness. The boxer from the south of Johannesburg, who is trained by Colin Nathan, Vusi Mtolo and Springkaan Khongoane, forced referee Thabo Spampool to intervene to save a visibly struggling Vusi Dladla in the fourth round.
That was Ness's fourth win at the venue next to Orlando Stadium.
Takiso Hlahane, a hot favourite who was fighting at home, suffered a unanimous points loss to Tumelo Pedi over six rounds.
In other results, Tsietsie Moremi beat Bongani Nkosi on points over four rounds, while Marcus Lebogo beat Justice Ndlovu with a TKO in round four.
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