Emva kokungalwi isithuba esiphantse sibengunyaka, intshatsheli ye-International Boxing Organisation (IBO) kudidi lwejunior-flyweight uMpumelelo Tshabalala uzakubuyela eqongeni kulenyanga ezayo.
UTshabalala, ozinze eKatlehong, Ekurhuleni, uzakukhusela intshinga yakhe kumlo nommi wasePhilippines u-ArAr Andales, ogama lakhe lokuzalwa linguRhenrob Sampayan Andales. UTshabalala waphumelela intshinga yakhe ngexesha wayesilwa noJunior Leandro Zarate wase-Argentina eMidrand ngoSeptemba kulonyaka ophelileyo.
Ebekwa kwindawo yethoba kwiWorld Boxing Council (WBC) nakwindawo yesithandathu kwi-International Boxing Federation (IBF), uTshabalala, owayeyinjinga yoMzantsi Afrika kudidi lwejunior-flyweight, uphumelele imilo elishumi elinanye, enqumamise amadoda amahlanu, wabethwa kumlo omnye.
UTshabalala wabethwa kuphela nguSiphamandla Baleni, owayeyintshatsheli yoMzantsi Afrika kudidi lwejunior-flyweight, ngo-Okthobha 2021. Emva koko waphumelela imilo emithandathu.
Kwelinye icala, u-Andales, obekwa kwindawo yeshumi elinesithathu yi-IBF, wabetha uReymark Alicaba kwiinyanga ezintlanu ezigqithileyo. U-Andales uphumelele imilo elishumi elinesixhenxe, wanqumamisa amadoda asixhenxe, wabethwa kwimilo emibini, walwa ngokulingana kwemithathu.
