Bongani Magasela
Bongani Magasela
Zolani "The Untouchable" Marali suffered what can best be described as an away decision to a visibly beaten Billy "The Kid" Dib for the vacant IBO junior lightweight title in Newcastle, Australia yesterday.
Even Dib, from New South Wales, Sydney, could not believe his ears when he was declared the new champion.
To make matters worse, he won via a majority decision. Scorecards read 116-114, 116-112 and 114-113.
Dib improved his fight record to 21 wins (11 KOs), while Marali, from Mdantsane in East London, who was ushered to war by top Gauteng mentor Nick Durandt, dropped to two defeats against 19 victories (13 KOs).
Marali is the former IBO and WBF junior featherweight and WBF junior lightweight titleholder.
His clash with "Billy The Kid" was Marali's first away from home.
But Marali is partly to blame for the defeat. He had everything going for him - power, height and size - but did not use it quiet effectively.
His power troubled Dib and instead of going for broke and finishing the job Marali allowed Dib to recover.
Marali even failed to use his height advantage. He dropped Dib with a straight left in the third round and instead of going for the kill in the fourth, Marali took his foot off the peddle.
Action heated up in rounds five, six, eight, nine and 10 as Dib refused to be bullied at home. He threw more punches with his fast hands but it was Marali who landed the most telling blows. Dib hardly threw a decent blow in the twelfth and last round but shockingly was declared the winner. The fight was shown on SuperSport 5 yesterday noon.
Marali robbed in Australia
Bongani Magasela
Bongani Magasela
Zolani "The Untouchable" Marali suffered what can best be described as an away decision to a visibly beaten Billy "The Kid" Dib for the vacant IBO junior lightweight title in Newcastle, Australia yesterday.
Even Dib, from New South Wales, Sydney, could not believe his ears when he was declared the new champion.
To make matters worse, he won via a majority decision. Scorecards read 116-114, 116-112 and 114-113.
Dib improved his fight record to 21 wins (11 KOs), while Marali, from Mdantsane in East London, who was ushered to war by top Gauteng mentor Nick Durandt, dropped to two defeats against 19 victories (13 KOs).
Marali is the former IBO and WBF junior featherweight and WBF junior lightweight titleholder.
His clash with "Billy The Kid" was Marali's first away from home.
But Marali is partly to blame for the defeat. He had everything going for him - power, height and size - but did not use it quiet effectively.
His power troubled Dib and instead of going for broke and finishing the job Marali allowed Dib to recover.
Marali even failed to use his height advantage. He dropped Dib with a straight left in the third round and instead of going for the kill in the fourth, Marali took his foot off the peddle.
Action heated up in rounds five, six, eight, nine and 10 as Dib refused to be bullied at home. He threw more punches with his fast hands but it was Marali who landed the most telling blows. Dib hardly threw a decent blow in the twelfth and last round but shockingly was declared the winner. The fight was shown on SuperSport 5 yesterday noon.