Phumza retraces her uncle's footsteps

A boxing bug has found another victim in the famous Mpulampula family from Mdantsane in the Eastern Cape.

Phumza Mpulampula, the niece of accomplished multiple award-winning trainer Lennox “Big” Mpulampula, promotes boxing under the banner of Inathi Boxing Promotion.

She will debut on Sunday in Mdantsane where she will host a joint promotion development tournament with Siyabulela Lubazi of Pepzin Boxing Promotion.

The tournament, dubbed Fists of Steel, will have two vacant Eastern Cape titles – the junior-lightweight and the mini-flyweight. 

Bulelani Ngondeka and Lubabalo Kweyi will meet over 10 rounds for the junior-lightweight strap while Namhla Mankayi and Yonelisa Poni will exchange leather over eight rounds.

Eight stables will be involved. Lubazi said adults will pay R50 for general seats and R100 for ringside seats while children below 16 years will pay R30.

“We have no financial support, hence we are charging at the door,” Lubazi said, adding that action will begin at 2pm.

Mpulampula said the development of raw talent is their mantra. “Most of our undercard fights feature debutants who must be given the platform to gauge their potential,” she said. 

The fistic sport's disease first infected Mpulampula's uncles Lennox and Monde back in the day. Lennox ended up training Monde, who lost to Peter “Terror” Mathebula at Mdantsane Stadium on September 29 1979.

Mpulampula produced three world champions, but his biggest accomplishments were with Noni Tenge and Simpiwe Vetyeka.

Tenge became Africa's first legitimate world female champion when she pummelled defending IBF welterweight New Zealand champion Daniela Smith into submission in four rounds in 2011.

Vetyeka rewrote local history books in 2013, winning the WBA Super belt, bringing the 10-year reign of Indonesian idol Chris John to an end with a sixth-round stoppage.

Mpulampula has retired and now the spotlight is on his niece. 

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