Cape Town-based boxer Thembani Mbangatha desperately wants to face off with reigning South African featherweight champion Zolisa Batyi even though he has admitted that he has no time to do so now.
Mbangatha, who is rated number one in the SA featherweight division, has opted to go for a three months course in Pretoria instead of challenging Batyi.
“I wanted to challenge Batyi for the title, but I can’t do it now because I’m attending a three months course in Pretoria,” Mbangatha, who will be 32 years old in June, remarked.
Batyi won the national title when he stopped former champion Jeff Magagane in the second round at the Ngoako Ramatlhodi Sports Complex in Seshego, Polokwane, last month.
Originally from Qumbu in the Eastern Cape, Mbangatha is based in Cape Town where he works as a policeman.
Mbangatha suffered a ninth round stoppage loss to Nathaniel Collins from Scotland in a Commonwealth featherweight title fight in Bolton, Lancashire, England on November 2021. He bounced back with a second round technical knockout victory over Thabiso Zakhe in Ottery, Cape Town, in November last year.
“I really want to fight against Batyi. I have long wanted to fight for the SA title. However, this course is more important now and I can’t take any risks,” Mbangatha said.
