The atmosphere was filled with hometown glory, an unprecedented feeling for the Kuils River-born Jami “Weapons” Webb at De Kuilen High School on Saturday night.
After 10 rounds of spectacular boxing, promoted by Maxim Boxing Promotions, the crowd and heavy rains were in favour of Weapons, a De Kuilen alumnus.
Despite the unanimous points decision defeat to Nicholas Jooga, from 9Sai Boxing Academy, in the junior middleweight main bout, Webb said it was a dream come true to fight in front of his hometown.
Webb was well-equipped, all round. He did, however, come up against a hungry opponent, who was more of a fighter than an actual boxer.
Webb timed all of his punches and worked according to his corner’s game-plan. He moved well around the ring, he was athletic and his stamina favoured his ability to box all the 10 rounds.
Jooga’s aggression was evident from the first round. He surprised Webb with a hard punch that dropped him to the canvas. As if it was not enough, Jooga connected with the same left hook in the fifth round to drop Webb again.
Webb was in trouble, to win, he needed more than just outboxing his opponent, he needed a knockout and luck. He threw everything he had at Jooga, but it seemed as if he was hitting a hard wall.
Webb’s record was slightly damaged (six wins, three defeats), but he exited the ring with his head held up high as the firm crowd favourite, as he goes back to the drawing board to prepare for his next fight.
It was a quintessential conclusion to the night at De Kuilen Hoerskool, attended by Cape boxing figures, such as, former Boxing South Africa Western Cape chairman Mickey Klaas, Boxing South Africa Western Cape commissioner Mzoli Tempi, veteran boxing matchmaker Willie Saayman, promoter Jack Brice and professional boxer Cristiano Ndombassy.
The boxers from 9Sai military base meant business on the night. In the supporting main bout, a bloody Luyolo Mbobo won via a points decision against Sandiso “Moving-Skeleton” Centane, from Sisonke Boxing Club in Hout Bay.
Mbobo bled from the left corner of his eye in the first round of the strawweight bout.
His whole face was covered with blood, yet he fought as if he was used to it, against a well moving Centane who won the first two rounds, but when Mbobo caught him with a combination to the stomach and to the temple, he never looked the same again. Mbobo knew it. He was hungry for blood. He closed the ring and suffocated Centane’s movement. After that, it was game over.
In the junior featherweight fight, the crowd went wild when Pierre Lyle Fischer, from Brice Boxing Academy in Ottery, dropped July Masuku, from Mpumalanga. For a second, the audience went silent as Masuku fell in a scary way that bumped his head first. When the medics and the opponents coach, Emile Brice rushed in to assist, Masuku came back from an unconscious minute that relieved the crowd’s worry. They gave him a round-of-applause for his efforts as his team escorted him back to the changing room.
A threat in the flyweight bout was Brice Boxing Academy’s Daniel Pontack who made it six out of six wins following his first round knockout against Tamiwe Chisolola.
Perhaps, we may see a tough fight in the near future between Pontack and Katompa Numbi Ardy, from King’s Boxing Gym, who dropped Sinethemba Gqeba several times before the 9Sai boxer said he had enough.
Also under Brice Boxing Academy, Mhlengi “Shaka-Zulu” Zondi won against Lukhangila Jamjam from 9Sai Boxing Academy in the super middleweight bout.
Phenom Boxing’s Tasriq “Super Bad” Sayed, outboxed Hamsi Kasangu in the middleweight bout.
In the heavyweight division, Puleng Bopape lost via a points decision against Verone Bella Mbembo after an exciting four rounds of debut boxing for Bopape.
“It was a good performance from all of the fighters. Some of the best fights were between Centane and Mbobo and Webb against Jooga. Our job is to identify and share the talent. Mbobo for example showed his hunger and we believe he deserves a chance to go all the way and fight for the SA title,” said Maxim Boxing Promotion’s Allen Chizungu.
