Shoulder roll technique was my shield, says Malinga
Boxer says other fighters need to know when to use method
Legendary Thulani “Sugar Boy” Malinga says boxers must not do certain moves during matches like employing the shoulder roll defensive technique with the purpose of impressing crowds.
That technique uses a shoulder and the momentum of an opponent’s punch to offset the angle of punches and cause them to go wide. It was invented by American George Benton during the 1950s.
Malinga mastered it with mental fortitude to overcome adversaries and it helped him to befuddle Nigel Benn during their 12-rounder for the WBC super-middle-weight belt in 1990. Malinga was crowned in front of 55,000 English fans at Telewest Arena, Newcastle, in the UK today in 1990.
He was at Cecil Emitt Hall in Vryheid on Sunday where his homeboy Nhlonipho Hlubi resorted to that defensive technique when it became clear that his blocking and pairing of blows was unsuccessful against the continuous barrage of punches from Mpendulo Gumede.
They fought for the KwaZulu-Natal featherweight title – an energy sapping 10-rounder – which Gumede won on points. Malinga said by right Gumede made life easy for Hlubi by coming right at him because he did not have to chase after him.
“Benn fought like that and it was easy for me to pick the right spots and fire just the appropriate shots,” said Malinga yesterday. “There I planted my feet on the ground, used the shoulder roll to deflect his blows and punish him. Nhlonipho needs to understand the purpose of using shoulder roll – it was my shield.”
Malinga, who assisted Hlubi’s trainer and father, Paul Hlubi, in the corner on Sunday, said the five-fight will be a better boxer in future because he listens when taught something. Hlubi’s father was also a professional boxer.
“It is small adjustments that need to be done on him – like advising him not to stand too upright and also stand in the corner and allow the opponent to throw lots of punches with nothing coming back because the referee can stop that fight even though you are in your senses; it could also be that he took things for granted because he beat Gumede in their first fight.”