Bongani Magasela

Bongani Magasela

Basil Ray messed with the bull and got himself gored badly Wednesday night at African Ring's box-and-dine tournament at Emperors Palace, where Bull Muravha pounded him like a slab of beef.

The fast and furious Muravha, 99,98kg, pummelled Ray, 104,42kg, with venomous blows, prompting referee Jaap van Niewenhuizen to stop the brutality a minute and 14 seconds into the third round. Ray is 40 years old, and it showed.

The noise from certain sections of the crowd was deafening before and during this heavyweight clash that was scheduled for six rounds.

Only trainer George Khosi and manager Mohamed Moola cheered for Muravha. But the 2500-seater venue fell dead silent when Van Niewenhuizen stopped the fight. You could hear a pin drop .

Ray must quit. He was never considered a must-see performer anyway. Style makes fights, and Ray's ostrich-like attitude (close eyes and stick head in the sand) let him down badly. That is not to say that "Bulldozer" has a chance to be the best heavyweight in South Africa.

Meanwhile Johnny Mulder, 19, the 2007 SA heavyweight champion in the amateur ranks, made a vibrant entry to the professional ranks blowing Sheldon Human away 2:45 into the second round.

Thomas "Tommy Gun" Oosthuizen made trainer Norman Hlabane eat his words with a first-round demolition of his charge, Ugandan Semanda Shabamba. On Tuesday Hlabe warned that Oosthuizen's gun will shoot blanks.

Robbie Lombard lost to Steen Castle while Victor Kota was stopped in his tracks by Ashley "Stimela-Train" Dlamini in two rounds of their featherweight four-rounder .