Bongani “Wonderboy” Mahlangu made history by becoming the oldest active boxer in SA to win a national boxing title.

The 42-year-old pugilist ended the reign of Ayabonga Sonjica as SA junior-featherweight champion with a seventh round knockout on Sunday at Orient Theatre in East London.

The ring veteran from Boipatong in the Vaal also bagged the IBF Africa belt for his win. He was ushered to war by trainers Sandile Mahlangu (boxer’s brother) and Bernie Pailman. The fight was staged by Rumble Africa Promotions.

“I have proved many people wrong; they gave me no chance due to my age and forgot one thing, that I live clean,” he said yesterday.

“One promoter dismissed me as being an old man who must just quit boxing some time back and I warned him that age is just a number.”

The left-handed Mahlangu said he shook Sonjica in round one, four and five.

"I then made sure in the seventh round that I put matters beyond any doubt – I knocked him out,” said Mahlangu, who has been in boxing for 38 years.

Mahlangu said the noise from Sonjica’s fans died when the referee started counting.

“I want to encourage other fighters who quit boxing due to age to come back. The one thing they must do is to stop drinking alcohol and smoking because those habits end a boxer’s career. Look, I am still single and enjoying my craft. Once my career is over then I will live a normal life. For now it is dedication and hard work,” said Mahlangu who intends to box professionally until he turns 50.

Mahlangu has previously held the WBA Pan African and Intercontinental bantamweight, SA, WBO International and IBF International junior featherweight titles. He represented SA in the 2004 Olympics as a lightweight in amateur ranks, and won a silver medal in the 2005 All-Africa Games in Abuja, Nigeria.

He has chalked up 23 wins, 11 by short-route, in 31 fights.

Meanwhile, 31-year-old Sonjica of Duncan Village in Buffalo City suffered his first career defeat after 10 straight wins.