Tulani “Tulz” Mbenge produced one of the best performances of his career so far as he pounded Argentina veteran Diego Chaves into submission in the seventh round to win the vacant IBO welterweight crown at Emperors Palace on Saturday night.
So frustrated was Mbenge’s opponent that he bit the South African on his left side in the third round‚ but he bit off more than he could chew.
Mbenge‚ who took some good shots in the early rounds‚ got better as the fight went on‚ driving his opponent back with blows to the head and the body.
Mbenge landed a right hand flush late in the sixth round‚ and he followed that up with a left-right combination to put Chaves down.
He got up and was saved by the bell‚ but only temporarily‚ because the local boxer‚ originally from Mdantsane in the Eastern Cape‚ picked up where he left off in the seventh‚ overwhelming Chaves to put him down again.
This time his corner threw in the towel and the referee waved it over 36 seconds into the round.
Mbenge’s record improved to 14 wins‚ 11 by stoppage‚ while Chaves dropped to 26 victories‚ four defeats and a draw.
The South African boxer did well to back up his comments from earlier in the week leading up to the match when he told TimesLIVE that he is ready and nothing can stand in his way.
Celebrating afterwards‚ Mbenge said it was the first time in his career that he’d been bitten‚ and that was the most painful thing Chaves inflicted upon him.
Promoter Rodney Berman is hoping to work with American promoter Lou DiBella to put him on in the US in his next outing later in the year.
“The division he’s in is a brilliant division. I’m not going to rush him. We’re going to bring him along at the right pace because I believe he can go far.”
In the main supporting bout‚ cruiserweight Thabiso Mchunu produced his trademark display of power punching as he destroyed Ricards Bolotniks from Latvia‚ stopping him in the sixth round.
The South African‚ originally from Cato Ridge in KwaZulu-Natal‚ kept focused and boxed cautiously‚ waiting for the opening patiently‚ and when it came he cracked Bolotniks with a left uppercut.
The Latvian toppled like a felled tree‚ and did well to beat the count‚ but he couldn’t keep Mchunu off and the referee waved it over 2min 22sec into the sixth.
Mchunu’s record improved to 21 wins and four losses‚ while his opponent dropped to 11-5-1.
His win means he will take on Tommy Oosthuizen in his next fight in the same ring on September 1.
In the other bouts‚ Rowan Campbell stopped Malkhaz Sujashvili in the sixth round‚ middleweight Wade Groth outpointed Andile Mntungwa and junior-featherweight Ayabonga Sonjica stopped Tumelo Mantsane in the first round.
Chaves bites off more than he can chew as Mbenge wins world title
Image: Lefty Shivambu/Gallo Images
Tulani “Tulz” Mbenge produced one of the best performances of his career so far as he pounded Argentina veteran Diego Chaves into submission in the seventh round to win the vacant IBO welterweight crown at Emperors Palace on Saturday night.
So frustrated was Mbenge’s opponent that he bit the South African on his left side in the third round‚ but he bit off more than he could chew.
Mbenge‚ who took some good shots in the early rounds‚ got better as the fight went on‚ driving his opponent back with blows to the head and the body.
Mbenge landed a right hand flush late in the sixth round‚ and he followed that up with a left-right combination to put Chaves down.
He got up and was saved by the bell‚ but only temporarily‚ because the local boxer‚ originally from Mdantsane in the Eastern Cape‚ picked up where he left off in the seventh‚ overwhelming Chaves to put him down again.
This time his corner threw in the towel and the referee waved it over 36 seconds into the round.
Mbenge’s record improved to 14 wins‚ 11 by stoppage‚ while Chaves dropped to 26 victories‚ four defeats and a draw.
The South African boxer did well to back up his comments from earlier in the week leading up to the match when he told TimesLIVE that he is ready and nothing can stand in his way.
Celebrating afterwards‚ Mbenge said it was the first time in his career that he’d been bitten‚ and that was the most painful thing Chaves inflicted upon him.
Promoter Rodney Berman is hoping to work with American promoter Lou DiBella to put him on in the US in his next outing later in the year.
“The division he’s in is a brilliant division. I’m not going to rush him. We’re going to bring him along at the right pace because I believe he can go far.”
In the main supporting bout‚ cruiserweight Thabiso Mchunu produced his trademark display of power punching as he destroyed Ricards Bolotniks from Latvia‚ stopping him in the sixth round.
The South African‚ originally from Cato Ridge in KwaZulu-Natal‚ kept focused and boxed cautiously‚ waiting for the opening patiently‚ and when it came he cracked Bolotniks with a left uppercut.
The Latvian toppled like a felled tree‚ and did well to beat the count‚ but he couldn’t keep Mchunu off and the referee waved it over 2min 22sec into the sixth.
Mchunu’s record improved to 21 wins and four losses‚ while his opponent dropped to 11-5-1.
His win means he will take on Tommy Oosthuizen in his next fight in the same ring on September 1.
In the other bouts‚ Rowan Campbell stopped Malkhaz Sujashvili in the sixth round‚ middleweight Wade Groth outpointed Andile Mntungwa and junior-featherweight Ayabonga Sonjica stopped Tumelo Mantsane in the first round.
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