Sinyabi goes 12 to stay on top
Macbute Sinyabi retained his SA junior featherweight title when he beat Oscar Chauke on points in East London on Sunday.
Sinyabi won 117-112, 116-114 and 118-112 after a fight that tested the skills of the judges as well as those of the fighters.
Veteran Chauke gave the champion a run for his money in more ways than one. Sinyabi had to adopt a jab-and-move strategy in the second half of the bout at the Orient Theatre to keep the challenger from taking control.
Making the eighth defence of his national belt, Sinyabi had to go 12 rounds for the first time in his career after winning 18 and losing two of his professional fights inside the distance.
Chauke, a former SA and World Boxing Foundation champion, produced a performance that made a rematch almost inevitable.
There were no knockdowns, although Sinyabi took a tumble through the ropes in the fourth round.
The fight, broadcast live on SuperSport, and some of the undercard bouts, proved that local boxers, trainers and promoters are capable of providing crowd-pleasing, high-class shows.
The 25-year-old Sinyabi, who won the vacant title in March 2008, had to drop all ideas he might have had of knocking out Chauke, 32, who remains one of the craftiest and classiest boxers in South Africa. Chauke's record now stands at 29-7-2, including 10 knockouts.
Sinyabi, who was stopped in the tenth round by Thangthong Kiattaweesuk of Thailand in May this year, showed no ill effects of the defeat and responded well to trainer Nick Durandt’s advice.
The referee was Siya Vabaza. Sinyabi weighed 55.15 kg and Chauke 55.30.
In another entertaining bout, Mfusi Maxhayi won the vacant Eastern Cape bantamweight title when he stopped Onela Qongwana after 1 minute 45 seconds of the fourth round.
Welterweights Mziwoxolo Ndwanyane and Gerald Nekhubvi also had the spectators on their feet during a fight that Ndwanyane won by stoppage 47 seconds into the eighth round.
OTHER RESULTS:
Super-featherweight: Xolani Mcotheli (58.95 kg ) stopped Mzoxolo Dyani (59.65 kg) in the fourth round
Super-bantamweight: Lundi Madondile (55.3) stopped Sithembile Luzipho (55.3) in the second round
Strawweight: Nhlanhla Ngamntwini (47.15) stopped Athenkosi Ntantiso (46.85) in the third round
Flyweight: Loyiso Velleman (51.9) stopped Dylon Petu (51.65) in the fourth round.
The tournament was presented by Mzi Mnguni's Eyethu Promotions.
