By Mesuli Zifo
THIS writer warned against approving Simpiwe Tom to fight for the vacant South African featherweight title against Sabelo Jubatha while coming from a brutal knockout defeat by Matima Molefe in his last bout in May, but the warning fell on deaf ears.
However, on Friday the warning proved valid when Tom was rushed to hospital in a coma after taking a frightening beating from Jubatha (13-1, 10 Kos) at Orient Theatre in East London, South Africa.
To call the clash a boxing match would be off the mark as the deep hatred between the two boxers took centre stage the moment the bell signaled the start of the fight.
Jubatha who blames Tom (11-2, 6 Kos) for orchestrating his stripping of the title in April when he did not accept the terms of Mzi Mnguni who is Tom’s promoter, was all war from the first round with every punch he threw laced with bad intentions.
It was no surprise when he floored Tom hard in the very first round and although Tom beat the count and fought back bravely, Jubatha walked through every punch to land his own haymakers in one of the brutal rounds ever witnessed in South African boxing.
The second round started in a similar brutal fashion with Jubatha spitting fire until he dropped Tom again with a big right hand.
The fight should have been stopped right there but the referee allowed the sickening slaughter to continue much to the satisfaction of Jubatha who wanted to inflict the worst beat-down on his opponent.
As the second round ended Tom tried to touch gloves with Jubatha in a sign of sportsmanship but Jubatha threw his hand away just to underline the deep animosity he harbors for Tom.
Tom used a combination of wrestling and pushing Jubatha to the ground in an effort to survive but Jubatha was never distracted from his seek and destroy mission.
In the third round Tom was beaten from pillar to post sparking spectators to implore the referee to stop the carnage but the brutality was allowed to continue.
One Boxing SA (local commission) high ranking official also came to the ring apron calling for the fight to be stopped but Tom was sent back to the firing line for the fourth round even though he had glazed eyes in the corner.
In the fourth Tom threw warding off punches which all missed but only succeeded to drain his energy.
Without being hit by a single punch his legs buckled and he turned his back to surrender before slumping to the canvas where his handlers feverishly tried to revive him.
He appeared to be recovering and even managed to stand on his feet only to fall again and slipped in a coma as medical personnel rushed him on a stretcher to the ambulance to take him to hospital.
His condition was described as critical but no word was said if he had recovered from the coma.
This writer has been constantly questioning the sanctioning of the fight with no satisfactory explanation from the local boxing commission.
In another fight that was questionably approved IBF fourth- rated and SA junior featherweight champion Macbute Sinyabi (21-1, 21 Kos) floored Thabo Sonjica (14-2, 10 Kos) three times before the one- sided slaughter was mercifully called off in the fifth round.
Sinyabi knocked out Soniica in less than one round in April but he was inexplicably forced to give him a rematch even though Sonjica had beaten only one rated fighter since his defeat.
The fight should have been stopped in the first round when Sonica was out on his feet after being nailed by a right hook.
The referee jumped in to stop a rampant Sinyabi from finishing off his opponent and instead administered a standing eight count.
Sonjica was down again and barely survived the round.
He appeared to be gradually recovering but Sinyabi still dominated the fight until he floored his foe with a left hook in the fifth round and the fight was literally over.
