By Monwabisi Jimlongo
It has not been an easy road for champion boxer Phila Mpontshane, but he is determined to soldier on and successfully defend his South African junior-lightweight title this week.
The SA champion from Mdantsane faces off with Sibusiso Zingange in the fifth defence of his crown at the EFC Centre in Johannesburg on Thursday. The slugfest between the two gladiators is going to be shown live on ESPN Africa.
“I made the pre-medical weight easily. It came as a shock to me to read a newspaper report saying that I’m struggling with weight. The truth is that Zingange is the one, who is struggling with weight. He’s above the limit, he overweighed even for the lightweight division,” Mpontshane said on Monday.
Mpontshane goes into battle having last fought when he lost to Khanyile Bulana in an International Boxing Federation (IBF) Continental Africa junior-lightweight title bout at the Orient Theatre in East London in September 2019.
The 31-year-old Mpontshane endured frustrating moments as he last defended his SA title when he outpointed Koos Sibiya at the Nangoza Jebe Hall in New Brighton, Gqeberha, in April 2019.
“It’s been frustrating moments for me. I was frustrated not to fight as I have a child, who turns one on the 27th of March. I went through some challenging moments. I’m very grateful to ESPN for this opportunity,” Mpontshane remarked.
