By Mesuli Zifo
A mention of illegal hand wraps invariably brings Antonio Margarito’s name to mind but in South Africa (SA) such talk is often associated with unbeaten junior lightweight prospect Thanduxolo Gatyeni.
Although the youngster was not the transgressor but a victim of the now banned Edward Mpofu’s illegal hand wraps after their 2008 September 29 six rounds clash in East London, SA, Gatyeni has enjoyed much more attention from boxing fans in the country as the fighter who survived the stone gloves to beat Mpofu on points.
While Margarito’s illegal act was discovered before his WBA welterweight title defence clash against Shane Mosley in 2009 January 24, Gatyeni who was using Dyani as a surname, was not so lucky as the transgression by Mpofu was discovered by luck shortly after the bout had ended.
Congratulating Mpofu for giving his prospect a hell of fight including a big lump on Gatyeni’s forehead, fight promoter Mzi Mnguni noticed that Mpofu’s gloves were surprisingly hard while shaking his hand.
He immediately alerted fight supervisor to inspect Mpofu’s hand wraps but by that time Mpofu, aptly nicknamed the “Spoiler” had fled the ring back to his hotel room.
Police were swiftly called and they apprehended Mpofu on his way to the hotel room and took him for a brief detention in a nearby police station where he was later released on warning. A hardened substance was also recovered from his hand wraps.
In a subsequent disciplinary hearing by Boxing SA, the local commission, Mpofu was found guilty and banned from boxing for life.
Gatyeni, whose boxing promise took a bit of a knock with his unimpressive showing against Mpofu, was able to gain some sort of an excuse by convincing critics that it was the Spoiler’s underhand tactics that contributed to his below par performance.
On Sunday he will get an opportunity to drive home that reasoning when he comes up against former SA champion Godfrey Nzimande for the vacant national junior lightweight title at the same venue of the illegal hand wraps scenario.
Unbeaten in 10 bouts with six knockouts, Gatyeni has a penchant for wild exchanges with little regard for defence and that nearly cost him against the loaded-gloved Mpofu.
Nzimande (20-3-3, 12 Kos), now trained by arguably South Africa’s best trainer Nick Durandt, will be getting the third bite at the title following his triumph in 2007 before surrendering it to Jasper Seroka who was in turn toppled by current WBC International champion Sipho Taliwe.
In his second attempt at the title Nzimande fought to a controversial draw against Taliwe although he was considered lucky to share the spoils when he appeared to have lost the fight.
Whether Gatyeni will finally come out of the shadows of the hand wraps scandal and be regarded as a promising fighter destined for stardom, will be determined by his showing against Nzimande.
“I am tired of always being associated with this incident as if I am not capable of fighting,” Gatyeni charged.
“Hopefully beating Nzimande will erase this scandal and people will take me as fighter destined for bigger things.”
In another clash Simpiwe Tom and Matime Molefe will battle for the vacant South African featherweight title while Macbute Sinyabi and Brazilian Giovanni Andrade will battle in a junior featherweight non title clash.
