Departed former world champion Monelisi Mhikiza ‘Showtime’ Myekeni was laid to rest in Phumlani location, East London, on Saturday.
Myekeni, a one-time International Boxing Organisation (IBO) flyweight and South African junior-flyweight champion, passed away aged 45 after losing a long battle with cancer on 18 August.
Myekeni won the SA junior-flyweight title after he defeated Vuyisile Bebe at East London’s Orient Theatre in November 2001.
He went on to capture the IBO junior-flyweight belt after he defeated Colombian Jose Garcia Bernal at the Carnival City in Brakpan in April 2002.
Myekeni’s last fight was a loss to Thai boxer Pongsaklek Wonjongkam in a World Boxing Council (WBC) flyweight title fight in November 2006.
After retirement, Myekeni started training boxers. Former IBF junior-bantamweight and World Boxing Organisation (WBO) bantamweight titlist Zolani ‘Last Born’ Tete was one of the boxers who were trained by Myekeni.
