Dlamini will be SA champ, vows Vilakazi

Promoter says his charge will shake up rankings

KwaZulu Natal junior welterweight champ Lindokuhle Dlamini.
KwaZulu Natal junior welterweight champ Lindokuhle Dlamini.
Image: Christopher Smith

Sandile Vilakazi is an optimistic – perhaps ambitious – boxing promoter who has declared Lindokuhle “Hitman” Dlamini a future SA junior-welterweight champion.

He says the KwaZulu-Natal champion passed the test last weekend.

Vilakazi was referring to the decision taken by Boxing SA not to sanction Dlamini's eight-round fight against ring veteran Aphiwe “Swagger” Mboyiya. The four-member sanctioning committee was concerned about the two boxers' CVs, which could have resulted in a mismatch.

After being persuaded by promoter Mzi Booi, and also pressured by its recent decision to allow newcomer Siyabulela Hem to challenge and eventually succeed in dethroning vastly experienced SA junior-featherweight champ Bongani Mahlangu, the sanctioning committee allowed the Mboyiya-Dlamni bout to go ahead.

Chairman of the sanctioning committee, Irvin Buhlalu, said they were trying to protect Dlamini. The bout happened at Orient Theatre and Mboyiya won on points. Some religious fight fans described his performance as “unimpressive”.

But Vilakazi says they seem to have missed the point which is Dlamini's potential. Vilakazi says fight records don't always determine a boxer's capability. He said the 10-rounder between former undisputed heavyweight champ Tyson Fury – who was undefeated after 34 matches – and mixed martial arts star Francis Ngannou should have ended the misconception of mismatches. Ngannou – making his debut – lost by a split points decision.

Vilakazi says Dlamini lost the battle but he certainly won the war. “I am now able to tell you straight that Lindokuhle will be a South African junior-welterweight champion,” said Vilakazi.

“All that needs to happen now is for us as his team and management to stand behind him, motivate him provide all the support, mental and physical, that he needs going forward. He has given us all the reasons to do that. Look, we got what we wanted out of Mboyiya and that is experience.”

Mboyiyia from Duncan Village, Eastern Cape, is rated No 4 for the SA junior-welterweight belt held by Ntethelelo “Baby G” Nkosi, while Dlamini is on the No 8 spot. “I'm telling you now that after two more fights, Lindokuhle will be ready to cause havoc up there in the rankings.

“We now know well where to make adjustments... Watch the space,” warned Vilakazi of Syathaba Boxing Promotion.

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