By Chris Totobela
Makhanda’s top boxers put their friendship aside as they battled it out in the Royal Series Challenge at the Guild Theatre in East London last Sunday.
Siphosethu “Ben 10” Mpolweni took on the reigning Eastern Cape featherweight champion Bongani “King Killer” Fule in a non-title six-rounder that carried a lot of significance.
The two fighters grew up together in Makhanda, but put aside their friendship on Sunday, in the name of competition.
Fule is ranked second in South Africa’s featherweight division and needed to only avoid defeat if he wanted to keep his chances of moving up the rankings intact. He stands a chance to fight top-ranked featherweight boxer Ishmael Kadri, who is also an IBF youth champion.
Meanwhile, Mpolweni wanted to test himself against the best in the division in hopes of getting into the South African rankings as well as a shot at the title.
The much-anticipated bout started well with both boxers studying each other in the first round. Fighting behind the jab, Mpolweni came out strongly in the early stages.
In the second round, however, Fule took the fight to his homeboy, landing quick jabs and body punches that Mpolweni struggled to withstand, going down in the same round.
Fule put more pressure on his opponent in the third round, wearing him down with more body punches.
In the fourth round, Mpolweni succumbed to the pounding and Fule claimed a TKO victory.
Speaking to Grocott’s Mail, Fule expressed his thoughts about the fight. “It was not an easy fight for me as I fought against somebody that I grew up with, but at the end of the day I had to do the job.”
Fule went on to thank his supporters and sponsors “for being with me every step of the way.”
He thanked his sponsors – Astron Energy Gonubie, Tyamzashe Boxing Gym and Mshu One Boxing Management.
Fule’s team will ponder his next move.
