Disillusioned after a number of postponements of his vacant South African junior-welterweight title fight against Aphiwe Boyiya, Sibusiso Zingange is now preparing to meet Hannock Phiri.
Zingange faces Phiri from Blantyre, Malawi, in an African Boxing Union (ABU) junior-welterweight title contest at the Silver Lakes Farm in Pretoria on Saturday, 28 February.
“Zingange is fighting against Phiri, a boxer from Malawi, next month,” Thami Malinga, one of Zingange’s trainers, said as he confirmed the fight.
Zingange is yet to lace his gloves since his points victory over Talent Baloyi at the Galleria in Sandton, Johannesburg, in March last year. The former SA junior-lightweight champion was due to have fought against Boyiya in July last year, but the fight got postponed a number of times.
The SA title became vacant after former champion Ntethelelo Nkosi opted to fight in the WBC Grand Prix in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Nkosi lost to Colombian boxer Carlos Alfonso Utria Lopez in the semi-finals of the competition.
Meanwhile, Phiri will be fighting in South Africa for the second time with his first fight being a loss to Gift Bholo at the Galleria in June 2022. – Monwabisi Jimlongo
