A fight that has been on people’s lips since August last year is finally happening as Phila Mpontshane faces Sibusiso Zingange at the EFC Centre in Johannesburg on Thursday evening.
At stake is going to be Mpontshane’s South African junior-lightweight title. Mpontshane will be out to make a successful fifth defence of his title when he clashes with Zingange.
Initially, Zingange challenged Mpontshane in August last year, but Boxing South Africa (BSA) rejected his challenge as he had lost his last two fights at the time.
He had lost to unbeaten Russian Albert Batyrgaziev, an Olympic gold medallist, in January and Ibrahim Class Mgender from Tanzania four months later.
Meanwhile, Mpontshane and Zingange were due to have fought in December last year. But their clash was called off after Mpontshane and his trainer Dudu Bungu tested positive for COVID-19 a few days before the actual fight. Zingange from Boksburg ended up fighting against Prince Ndlovu whom he beat on points.
Mpontshane from Mdantsane goes into this fight 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. He last defended his SA title when he defeated Koos Sibiya on points at the Nangoza Jebe Hall in New Brighton, Gqeberha, in April 2019.
