Winning is fast becoming an addiction to Hlumelo Gingxana as he continued with his unbeaten run, annexing the vacant International Boxing Organisation (IBO) All-Africa lightweight title at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Gqeberha early on Sunday morning.
Just four months ago, Gingxana from Braelyn in KuGompo City won the Eastern Cape version of the title and has now added Mbuyiseli Ndukwana to a list of his victims after he outpointed him for the second time.
With 10 rounds of action gone, all three judges – Lulama Mtya (98-92), Siphiwo Mbini (96-94) and Simon Mokadi (96-93) – were satisfied as they nodded in agreement saying that Gingxana did enough to become the new champion.
Gingxana had to dig deep as Knysna-born Ndukwana came to fight and fight he did. In the end, Gingxana stretched his unbeaten record to six wins and a draw with Ndukwana dropping to six victories and five losses.
Meanwhile, after being inactive for almost three years, Razell Mohamed dusted herself to a successful defence of her South African female junior-heavyweight title.
Mohamed from Gqeberha defeated Mthatha-born Rita Mrwebi by a majority decision.
Mohamed was fighting for the first time since losing to New Zealander Lani Daniels in an International Boxing Federation (IBF) female heavyweight title contest in Auckland, New Zealand, in August 2023.
And six months after losing her SA female junior-lightweight title to Bernice Ferreira, Nozipho Bell bounced back with a unanimous decision victory over Zimbabwean Chiedza Homakoma.
And following the win, Bell became the new World Boxing Federation (WBF) Intercontinental female junior-welterweight champion. Mokadi had Bell winning by 97-93, Mbini’s scorecard read 98-92 and Mtya’s 98-93 in favour of the Walmer-born champion. – Monwabisi Jimlongo
