By Mesuli Zifo
A riot erupted at Orient Theatre in East London, South Africa on Sunday when boxing spectators hurled missiles into the ring protesting the premature stopping of the South African junior lightweight title between defending champion Godfrey Nzimande and Ayanda Yaphi in favour of Nzimande in the eighth round.
Bottles and cans rained into the ring with some missing the fighters by inches as spectators bayed for referee Allen Matakane’s blood after rescuing the crowd favourite Yaphi from Nzimande’s attack.
Although Nzimande who was the visiting boxer from Gauteng ‑which is another province in South Africa- was landing hard punches on the bloodied challenger, Yaphi, a home fighter, was still very much in the fight and was fighting back when Matakane surprisingly stepped in to stop the fight in favour of Nzimande.
Yaphi broke down and cried on Matakane’s arms for the premature stoppage while the promoter of the fight Mzi Mnguni who owns Eyethu Boxing Club where Yaphi trains, confronted Matakane and physically pushed him to the ropes.
Yaphi, whose boxing style is characterized by wild swings, was bleeding from a cut above his left eye, he sustained in the second round from an accidental headbutt.
His corner failed to properly control the cut, turning his face into a bloody mask as the fight progressed.
This bloody appearance worsened his situation especially when he was on the receiving end of Nzimande’s attack as it gave a picture of a fighter who was getting battered.
But Yaphi was able to gallantly fight back with his right uppercut repeatedly wobbling Nzimande and turning the fight in a back-and forth action.
Nzimande was still landing harder punches especially his over-arm right hand which constantly found the target as most punches do when thrown at Yaphi who has no regard for defence.
Yaphi was floored by a stiff jab-right hand combo in the third round but the trip to the canvas seemed to galvanise him back to life as he landed big punches on Nzimande after picking himself off the floor.
Having taken his foe out of his game plan, Yaphi was able to engage Nzimande into a wild swinging match which often turned clumsy as both fighters lunged in with their punches with no regard for technique.
Nzimande who is technically gifted than the challenger was now fighting Yaphi’s fight and the packed hall screamed its lungs out, appreciating the no holds barred battle accentuated by Yampi’s bloody face.
Nzimande appeared to be getting a second wind in the seventh round as he landed repeatedly with his over-arm right, often staggering Yaphi around the ring.
Yaphi, who often gets off balance when missing with his wild swings, would stagger with his every miss giving an impression that he was ready to fold under Nzimande’s attack even though he was still firing back.
Nzimande continued with his success in the eighth round as Yaphi, albeit fighting back, was clearly getting whacked.
As Nzimande landed another over-arm right hand which Yaphi took in his stride, Matakane surprisingly jumped in and waved the fight over, sparking a pandemonium as fans protested the stoppage.
In the ensuing skirmish, Boxing SA (local commission) top official Loyiso Mtya was hit with a can as he and fellow authorities tried to calm down the irate crowd.
Nzimande hastily slipped out of the ring and ran to his dressing room to save himself from the angry crowd.
When ring announcer Lucky Makaleni tried to announce the official outcome he was drowned by booes by the crowd which chanted anti-Matakane slogans.
The situation was finally brought under control for the resumption of the next bout, the international junior featherweight clash between Filipino Ariel Delgado and East Londoner Thabo Sonjica.
Sonjica produced a flawless performance to knock out Delgado in the second round after a one-sided first round battering.