Siyabulela Hem absorbed pressure from Vusi Ngcamu before he stopped him in the ninth round to retain his South African junior-featherweight title at the Orient Theatre in East London on Sunday evening.
It was clear from the first round that both boxers climbed into the ring to fight. And fight, they did, as they caught each other with heavy blows.
Following an exchange of blows, which found their intended target, Hem decked Ngcamu with a straight right in the ninth round and the challenger struggled to stand up something which forced his trainer Alan Toweel to throw in the towel.
In another fight, Siseko Teyisi defeated Filipino boxer Elmar Zamora by a unanimous decision to win the vacant IBF Intercontinental junior-flyweight title in the main supporting bout.
All three judges – Tony Nyangiwe, Clifford Mbelu and David van Niewenhuizen scored the fight 100-90 on their scorecards.
Meanwhile, after landing energy-sapping body blows, Moyisi Booi finally stopped Ntethelelo Magcaba in the eighth round. Magcaba was counted twice in the same round before fight referee Allen Matakane stopped the proceedings.
As a result of the stoppage win, Mdantsane-born Booi won the vacant SA junior-bantamweight title. The title had been vacant since former champion Lwando Mgabi from Duncan Village left it on the scales after he failed to make the required weight before his fight against Sechaba Zuma in June.
