One-time South African title challenger Enathi Stelle is looking beyond his upcoming fight and will walk over Siphosethu Mhlahlo when they meet at a Busi J Promotions tournament at the NU 7 Community Hall in Mdantsane on Sunday afternoon.
This is the bold prediction of Stelle’s manager Andile Mshumpela as the Mdantsane boxer is looking ahead in an effort to challenge for the South African junior-bantamweight title again. Stelle failed to win the national after he was stopped in 26 seconds by former champion Phumelela Cafu in December 2023.
“I want him to have two fights before challenging the SA champion Moyisi Booi. The fight against Mhlahlo is the first one. I regard this fight as the easiest for him,” Mshumpela said.
“We know Mhlahlo’s strengths and weaknesses thus I have no doubt about winning the fight. Thereafter, we will go for Ntethelelo Magcaba.
“Kay B Promotions wanted to pit us against Magcaba at one stage. We declined the offer because we were not ready at the time. Now Xaba (Ayanda Matiti) wants us to face Magcaba and this is the fight we want. After Magcaba, we will challenge Moyisi for the SA junior-bantamweight title. We have been watching Moyisi’s fight and we know him very well.”
Rated number two in South Africa, Stelle outpointed Sibusiso Mkolo in Hemingways last December and Mhlahlo has not fought since losing to Booi by a second round stoppage in June.
Meanwhile, former SA junior-bantamweight champion Siphosethu Mvula is going to come up against Bandile Daniels in the main bout of the tournament.
Duncan Village-born Mvula will be fighting for the first time since his seventh round stoppage loss to Kazakh boxer Beckman Soilybayev in October 2022. – Monwabisi Jimlongo
