HOME advantage played a pivotal role in Lusanda Komanisi retaining his IBO featherweight title by a split points decision against Roli Gasca from the Philippines in East London on Monday night.

Judges Sazi Xamlashe from Johannesburg and Reg Thompson from the UK scored the fight 115-113 and 116-112 in favour of Komanisi, pictured, while Don Ballas from the US scored it 116-112 for Gasca.

Komanisi, who is trained by Nick Durandt, registered the first defence of the belt he won with a fifth-round demolition of MacBute Sinyabi on July 18.

Komanisi virtually conceded afterwards that he did not do well. "I will go back to the drawing board and correct the mistakes that I made," he said.

Komanisi spent the better part of every round posing and that got him into trouble with Durandt, who slapped his charge in the face in a futile attempt to wake him up before the start of the 12th round.

His timing was very poor as he missed wildly with the few punches.

Gasca, on the other hand, did little wrong in the fight and his only mistake perhaps being that he let the fight go the distance.

The bout failed to live up to its status as the main attraction.

Another boxer who got a home- town decision to win a fight he appeared to have lost was Siphosethu Mvula. He was beaten clean by Tapiwa Tembo - a Zimbabwean based in Cape Town - but judges Lulama Mtya, Sphiwe Mbini and Siya Vabaza, scored the bout 97-94 in favour of Mvula.

One boxer who fought hard for and deserved his win was Azinga Fuzile, who outclassed Sibusiso Khumalo in their six-rounder.

Simphiwe Konkco poleaxed Nhlanhla Ngamntwini to win the vacant IBO Intercontinental mini-flyweight title.

Sipho Taliwe and his stablemate at Durandt's gym, Ludumo Lamati, won their fights with stoppages. Taliwe stopped Viwe Mdletyeni in the third round, while Lamati stopped Bulelani Nam in the second round.