Failure to secure fights has forced talented Mdantsane-born junior-flyweight boxer Nhlanhla ‘Mount Kilimanjaro’ Tyirha to quit the fistic sport, for now.
Tyirha has been fight starved since his shock eighth round stoppage loss to Malawian boxer George Kandulo at the East London International Convention Centre (ICC) in July last year.
Writing on Facebook on Monday, Tyirha said: “Where is my career going? This is the question I always ask myself every time I wake up and wear my kit to go to the gym.
“I tried my best to fix my life, but in all that up and down, going this way and that way, I don’t know what’s happening with my life. It’s heartbreaking because I sat down with people and I could see that no one wanted to take risks with my life. Now I have decided to quit, I have given up for real.”
The former South African junior-flyweight titlist added: “I train, only get verbal fight promises. It’s almost a year now and I have been training throughout. But my life is becoming worse than before. I can’t stay for another two years without fighting.”
Tyirha has been gym hopping as he started with Khangelani Jack earlier this year s d then left for Johannesburg where he was trained by Phumzile Matyhila.
He left Matyhila for Vusi Mtolo before returning to his Mdantsane home. He then went to train under Baba ‘Babes’ Makala in Somerset East, but didn’t stay long there.
“The only thing I need is to return to the ring. But I can see that that’s going to be difficult to achieve the way things are. Sometimes things look like they are coming together and I then get confused not knowing what’s right or wrong for me,” Tyirha said.
“Now I can see that I’m not getting any assistance. I have decided to quit until next year. Maybe people will start taking me serious after that. I was looking for a fight to regain my dignity following last year’s mistakes.
“I could see that my manager was confused. I sat down and reasoned with him. He said a lot, unfortunately everything he said is not helping me. Things became worse than before and I didn’t even know where I was going that’s why I have decided to quit until next year.” – Monwabisi Jimlongo
