THOHOYANDOU – A resident of Tshaulu Village, Nkosinathi Tshinavhe, is the new provincial light featherweight champion. He beat Zacharia Mudau over ten rounds last Saturday evening.

The tournament was staged by Tshiawelo Boxing Promotions last Saturday at the Thohoyandou Town Hall.

Tshinavhe showed consistency from the first round to the bitter end. Mudau lost his original fighting spirit after suffering an open wound above his left eye.

In a fight that kept the spectators at the edge of their chairs, Ntshengedzeni "Huggerboy" Netshivhera was beaten with a TKO by Emmanuel "Brown Bomber" Duma in the fifth round. Netshivhera's punches were weak from the first round and many spectators complained that the fight was a mismatch.

In a junior welterweight fight that lasted for four rounds, Rialivhuwa Makhanthisa showed no mercy to his Gauteng opponent, Nelson Chauke. Another local promising boxer, Norman Tshisikhawe, had an easy walk to victory when he beat Lookat Maliane from Mpumalanga with a TKO in the third round. Maliane was bleeding from his mouth and nose and Tshisikhawe dropped him with a killer-punch on the forehead.

Raphael Bhila from the ABC camp in Mpumalanga lost on points to Justice Hlungwani. The only fight that ended in a draw was between Sbusiso Ncobo from Kwazulu Natal and Mandla Mathebula from Gauteng. The two exchanged some hot punches throughout the fight that lasted for four rounds.

Phathusthedzo Dongola was too strong for Avhaathu Muleka, whom he beat on points in their bantamweight fight.