Khanyile ‘Man Dee’ Bulana was a victim of the most chaotic travel arrangements as he was stopped by Lunga ‘Pressure Cooker’ Sitemela at the Vibrant Sports Centre in Ottery, Cape Town, on Friday evening.
Bulana, 31, from Scenery Park in East London landed in Cape Town four hours before his challenge against Sitemela. The late arrival in the Mother City worked against him as he was stopped in the fourth round for his second successive stoppage loss.
Bulana suffered a first round stoppage defeat to former International Boxing Organisation (IBO) junior-lightweight champion Michael Magnesi in Italy in April last year.
This was Sitemela’s first defence of the South African junior-lightweight title he won when he defeated Phila Mpontshane in February this year.
Bulana and his team were stuck at the King Phalo Airport in East London on Thursday after fight promoter Jackie Brice of Jackie Brice Boxing Promotions failed to secure tickets for them on time. The former SA featherweight champion and his team were forced to return to their respective homes on Thursday and only flew to Cape Town on Friday afternoon.
That worked in favour of Dordrecht-born Sitemela, 31, as he charged at his opponent soon after the first bell. It was then a matter of time before he finally ended the fight in round four.
