After missing out on partaking in Christmas feasts, Lunga ‘Pressure Cooker’ Sitemela can be rest assured that the World Boxing Federation (WBF) is not going to strip him of his title as he’s preparing to fight against Moussa Gholam from Morocco in just less than two weeks’ time.
Sitemela, the current WBF lightweight champion, faces Gholam in a 10 rounds international bout at Yas Links, Abu Dhabi, in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Saturday, 13 January 2024.
“They have asked for permission to fight. The WBF championship committee has granted them permission because his fight was cancelled. If you ask for permission, no problem. If you go fight without telling us, then you will have to vacate the title,” WBF president Howard Goldberg revealed.
Sitemela, who was born in Dordrecht in the Eastern Cape, needs to win this fight or not lose badly in order for him not to invite the WBF championship’s attention.
“In the event of him losing, being knocked out, we will have to review the title status. The championship committee will decide. But we’re hoping that he wins. We wish him luck as our champion,” Goldberg, Cape Town-based former ring official, said.
Interestingly, Sitemela won the South African and WBF junior-lightweight titles after his opponents dislocated left shoulders. He won the SA title after former champion Sibusiso Zingange dislocated his left shoulder in May last year.
Something similar happened when Sitemela won the WBF title as he defeated Botswana boxer Steve Bagwasi after he dislocated his left shoulder during their fight in Gaborone six months ago.
The 32-year-old Sitemela has registered stoppages in his last three fights. He stopped Zingange, Khanyile Bulana and Bagwasi.
Meanwhile, Sitemela has a professional record of 16 wins (10 knockouts) and a single loss while the 28-year-old Gholam, who is based in Cataluna, Spain, has 20 victories with 12 stoppages and one defeat.
