|
|
Looking stronger, fitter and meaner since switching his allegiance to top trainer Nick Durandt, South African champion Osborne Machimana pounded Jake Els to a fifth round tko defeat while retaining his national heavyweight title at the annual Prive Boxing Ball at Emperors Palace on Tuesday night.
It was Machimana's second defence of the title he won 18 months ago by beating Anton Nel and proved Durandt right with the pre-match assessment that it would be "one-way traffic" for the champion, who has now trimmed down to his best fighting weight at 108 kilograms
"Osborne performed exactly as we planned," said Durandt afterwards, "and having shed 18kg since I took charge of him, he was a different fighter.
"But at 26 years-old, he's still young for a heavyweight and we won't be brash and start challenging for the world championship yet."
Els, who had won all his previous seven fights, had no answers to Machimana's superior boxing skill after a fairly even opening round and withstood increasing punishment until the referee brought the one-sided contest to a merciful end in the fifth round.
It was a good night for Durandt generally, with five of his seven boxers winning and the other two earning draws.
In the main supporting bout on the black tie, fight-and-feast evening, durable Daniel Bruwer had Brazilian Eduardo Franca "on the run" from the opening round and completed a predictable, one-sided victory in only the third round.
"The kid did all he had to," said Durandt, "but his opponent had no stomach for a fight - and that's the way it goes sometimes."
Other results:
Junior Middleweight: (four rounds) Michael van Heerden drew with Ivis Mtolo.
Lightweight: (four rounds) Jacques Staleberg drew with Hendry Ntubane.
Junior Bantamweight: (six rounds) Leslie Sekotswe stopped Albert Madau in the first round.
Lightweight: (six rounds) Kgotla Baeti beat Moses Mathekga on points.
Junior Lightweight (six rounds) Warren Joubert beat Sifiso Msibi on points.
|
|
