Following a second successive loss, two-division South African champion Siphamandla ‘Toytoy’ Baleni has decided that the junior-flyweight division is where he will continue to campaign.
The former SA minimumweight and junior-flyweight champion lost on points to unbeaten Zimbabwean boxer Beaven Sibanda at the Emperor’s Palace in Kempton Park almost a fortnight ago.
The loss was Mthatha-born Baleni’s second successive defeat having lost to Hasanboy Dusmatov from Uzbekistan when they fought in Russia last November.
“He’s going to campaign in the junior-flyweight division,” Baleni’s manager Thembelani ‘Shakes’ Hlombe confirmed.
Baleni, who is rated 14th by the World Boxing Council (WBC), dropped or dropped out of the ratings of top world bodies after losing to Dusmatov.
He was rated ninth by both the WBC and the World Boxing Organisation (WBO) while he was eighth in the International Boxing Federation (IBF) before the Dusmatov fight. – Monwabisi Jimlongo
