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Kamanga shows who's boss

PROMISING: Paul Kamanga
PROMISING: Paul Kamanga

A climatic conclusion, ebb and flow, determination and heart - Tuesday's bout between Paul "The Natural" Kamanga and Roman Zhailauov had it all.

A CLIMACTIC conclusion, ebb and flow, determination and heart - Tuesday's bout between Paul "The Natural" Kamanga and Roman Zhailauov had it all.

Kamanga was on the canvas in the second round - the first time in his career which started in 2012.

But towards the end of the fifth round, he unleashed a two-punch combination to the midsection, and the badly hurt Kazakhstani was lucky that veteran referee Jaap van Niewenhuizen was close by to quickly stop the brutality for a classic come-from-the-dead stoppage at Emperors Palace on the East Rand.

At the end Kamanga, who is trained in Johannesburg by Anton Gilmore, won the vacant WBA Pan African welterweight belt.

He also holds the same organisation's junior welterweight strap. Kamanga, who was not given too much chance of defeating Zhailauov, has the natural ability to go all the way. "If I happen to go down, I will definitely get up again," said Kamanga. "People should realise what true heart is."

Zhailauov, who had trainer Harold Volbrecht in his corner, fought the last two rounds with one eye after his right eye had closed completely towards the end of the third. Kamanga blasted the swell open in the fourth round. Kamanga took advantage of his semi-blind opponent and threw flurries of solid punches that had the vociferous diners in the box-and-dine tournament screaming for either Volbrecht or Van Niewenhuizen to stop the one-sided brutality.

They breathed a sigh of relief when Van Niewenhuizen finally did that in the fifth round.

In the main supporting bout, Warren "The Warrior" Joubert won the bout for the territorial supremacy against Jason "Badman" Bedeman. The bout was so close that it was difficult to tell between the winner and the loser after eight rounds.

But judges had no difficulty scoring it in favour of Joubert, who won by a unanimous points decision.

Simon Mokadi and Ben Ncapayi scored it 77-75, while Pumeza Zinakile's card read 77-76.

Joshua "TKO" Studdard tore Edward Disolwane to shreds in less than two minutes of the first round, while Dee Jay Kriel pummelled Thabo Moabi into submission in three rounds. Dair Zhailauov beat Akano Dibi on points over four rounds, with Brandon Thysse stopping Murendeni Nenungwi in the second round.

The tournament, jointly staged by Rodney Berman and Jeff Ellis, was used to honour Berman's long-serving matchmaker Reuben Rasodi, who has been with Golden Gloves for 35 years.

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