Njengokuba kushiyeke nje iiveki ezimbini ngaphambi komlo wakhe olandelayo, uBeaven Sibanda uziva ewulungele ngendlela engummangaliso umlo noRichard Garde wasePhilippines kwintshinga ye-IBF International kudidi lweminimumweight e-Emperor’s Palace, eKempton Park, Ekurhuleni, ngoMgqibelo umhla wesihlanu kuJulayi.
Njengokuba nje elungiselela lo mlo noGarde, uSibanda uziqeqesha noonyana bakwaMalajika, uRicardo, oyintshatsheli ye-International Boxing Organisation (IBO) kudidi lwejunior-bantamweight, noCharlton, umninawa wakhe.
UCharlton uzakulwa noRV Deniega wasePhilippines kwintshinga ye-IBO Youth kudidi lwentambanani kumlo ophambili kuletumente.
“Mahle kakhulu amalungiselelo alomlo. Ndizilungiselela ngokuziqeqesha noonyana bakwaMalajika,” utshilo uSibanda, oneminyaka engamashumi amabini anesithathu.
Njengenxalenye yamalungiselelo akhe, uSibanda, oqeqeshwa nguVusi Mtolo eBrian Mitchell Boxing Academy, e-Edenvale, sele ebukele imilo kaGarde eliqela.
“Ndiyibukele eminye yemilo yakhe, uyimbethi-manqindi ewaziyo umcimbi neluqilima. Kodwa ke, ndiwulungele umlo, kwaye sele ndilindele nje ukuba agaleleke,” utshilo uSibanda, oyinzalelwane yaseHarare kwelaseZimbabwe.
Lo ngumlo wokuqala kaSibanda eKempton Park kususela mhla wabethwa nguSiyakholwa Kuse ngethuba babesilwela intshinga yeWorld Boxing Council (WBC) Silver kudidi lweminimumweight ngoDisemba kulonyaka ophelileyo.
USibanda uya kumlo noGarde emva kokubetha ngamanqaku owayeyintshatsheli yoMzantsi Afrika kudidi lwejunior-flyweight uNhlanhla Tyirha eKapa kwiinyanga ezimbini ezigqithileyo.
USibanda sele ephumelele imilo esibhozo, enqumamise amadoda amabini, ebethwe komnye, logama uGarde, oneminyaka engamashumi amabini anesibhozo nowayeyinjinga yodidi lweminimumweight kwelasePhilippines, ephumelele kwimilo elishumi elinanye, enqumamise amadoda alithoba, wabethwa kabini.
UGarde wabetha umkhaya wakhe u-Ariston Aton ngamanqaku kumlo wakhe wokugqibela kwiinyanga ezine ezigqithileyo. U-Aton wayebethwe kwimilo elithoba, waze walwa ngokulingana komnye ngaphambi kokulwa noGarde. – Monwabisi Jimlongo
