By Monwabisi Jimlongo
If reigning South African junior-featherweight champion Bongani ‘Wonderboy’ Mahlangu had a choice, he would never fight in Tanzania ever again after what happened to him in Dar-Es-Salaam this past weekend.
The 44-year-old Mahlangu suffered a points loss to Tanzanian boxer Fadhili Majiha in a World Boxing Council (WBC) Africa junior-featherweight title fight at the PTA Karume Hall in Dar-Es-Salaam on Saturday.
His manager and brother Sandile Mahlangu is unhappy with how they were treated during and after the fight in the East African country.
“We had some bad experience over there. Firstly, we signed for a 12 rounds bout only for the fight to be changed to a 10 rounder without us being informed. We asked why and we were told that that was always a 10 rounds bout even though our contract said 12 rounds,” Sandile said.
The number of rounds was not the only thing that shocked the Mahlangus as they found out that the matchmaker Abdallah Hamisi Neneko whom they had been talking to before travelling to Tanzania was one of the judges during the fight.
“We struggled to get our purse as we were told that we would only get it once they had deducted three percent which was payable to their board. Before going to Tanzania we were assured that the promoter would take care of the three percent,” Sandile said.
“Actually, I was shocked when we later discovered that the matchmaker we had been talking to before going there was also a judge during the fight. We dealt with dodgy people there. We are so unfortunate because we always deal with dodgy promoters whenever we go there.”
Last Saturday’s tournament was promoted by Baraka Kasenzelo of HB SADC Boxing Promotion. And this was Kasenzelo second tournament as a boxing promoter.
As as result of the loss, Mahlangu dropped to 26 victories (14 knockouts) and 10 losses while his 30-year-old opponent improved to 32 wins (15 stoppages), 14 defeats and four draws.
