‘I will wipe the floor with Sambu’: Studdard

Assertive fighter Joshua “TKO” Studdard says he will wipe the boxing ring with Akani Sambu’s backside when they meet for the vacant WBF Inter-Continental bantamweight title at Propaganda Arena in Pretoria on October 1.

“Akani will be sliding from one corner to the other when I hit him, just like Sihle Jelwane when I knocked him out at Emperors Palace,” said Studdard, who lived up to his nickname when he dropped Jelwane in one minute and 36 seconds into the third round.

“He slid from one corner to another corner and the referee (Sazi Xamlashe) stopped the fight.”

Studdard’s last fight was on September 10, 2022, when he badly knocked out Lemohang Mapitsi in the first round at Turffontein Racecourse to add his eighth knockout in 10 wins against two losses.

“At the end of the night there will be no need to clean the ring because that will be done by Akani's backside. He must practise throwing punches from ground up. One thing I know is that Akani and his camp will come fully prepared because they were given enough time to prepare.”

Studdard from Sophiatown, Johannesburg, added: “They will be extremely fit because that whole camp is scared of me from the trainers to the cleaner at their gym."

Studdard is under the tutelage of boxing mentor Warren Hulley. The WBF is not regarded in the same breath as the WBC, WBA, IBF and WBO. But Studdard said great fighters fought for it.

“After all fighters make champion belts,” he said. “I am prepared to die for what I believe in and worked hard for, and Akani is not that person to kill me.”

Sambu who is trained by Hloni Maboko and Nyiko Ndukula made an impression in his last fight when he stopped Layten Gloss in the fourth round at Time Square, Menlyn, in Pretoria on October 1, 2022.

Sambu chalked up his third knockout in four wins from six fights. The upcoming 10 rounder will headline the bill of promoter Euphy Studdad who is Joshua’s mother.

 Action will start at 2pm.