By Monwabisi Jimlongo
After failing to win the South African minimumweight title on two occasions, Thembani ‘Guitarman’ Okolo is trying again as he gets a shot at the belt for the third time.
Okolo from Motherwell in Gqeberha challenges SA minimumweight champion Bangile Nyangani at the Cambridge Commercial Park in Johannesburg on Thursday, 27 January. Okolo’s fight against Nyangani from Bityi in Mthatha is going to be shown live on ESPN Africa.
Okolo lost twice in his bid to win the SA title as he suffered defeats to former champions Daluxolo Mangcotywa in March 2016 and Siphamandla Baleni in April the following year.
Now Okolo’s trainer Mzwandile Sidina is hoping that his boxer will emerge victorious against Nyangani or they will give up on the SA title should they lose again.
“We believe we have prepared well for this fight. Our wish is to ensure that we win this title. We have already tried to win this title twice before, but we have not been successful,” Sidina said.
“It would be nice to win the SA title. We will give up on the SA title should we fail again. We will then embark on campaigning internationally. Remember, Okolo is a WBF champion.”
Okolo is the current World Boxing Federation (WBF) Africa minimumweight champion. He stopped Makhanda’s Phumlani Maloni during their fight in Gqeberha last July.
