Cape Town-based boxing trainer
Saligh Dollie has said that boxers getting cuts during a fight is part of the game as boxing is a contact sport.
Dollie was speaking after newly-crowned International Boxing Organisation (IBO) minimumweight champion Nhlanhla ‘Mount Kilimanjaro’ Tyirha sustained a deep gash above his right eye during his fight against Nhlakanipho Kunene at the Jan Smuts Stadium in KuGompo City last Saturday.
And a bloodied Tyirha won the IBO title by a technical decision after the ringside doctor advised fight referee Allen Matakane to end the bout before the beginning of the 10th round. And the outcome of the fight was decided after the bout was referred to the three judges’ scorecards.
“He’s obviously not thrilled about the cut, but it’s a part of the sport and being a southpaw, he’ll naturally be more at risk for cuts. We’ll be attending to the treatment and ensure we do what we can to maximise the recovery of the area as much as possible,” Dollie said.
On the fight itself, Dollie said: “I was quite pleased with the fight itself, Tyirha has a great natural ability. We’ve received an overwhelming number of messages of encouragement from the local community and I’m very grateful for being received by the Eastern Cape community, especially post fight.”
Dollie added: “Credit to Kunene for showing up the way he did, but I think Tyirha showed his calibre in that fight dealing with a nasty cut as a result of the accidental headbutt from Kunene. He was able to concentrate on the task at hand and execute what we had worked on.”
This was the former South African junior-flyweight champion’s first fight under Dollie since he moved away from Mzamo ‘Chief’ Njekanye’s Duncan Village gym three months ago. – Monwabisi Jimlongo
