KuGompo City boxer Aphiwe Mboyiya flew to Botswana on Wednesday determined to breathe life into his career by beating Kutlwano Ogaketse in their IBO Africa junior-welterweight title clash on Friday.
Accompanied by trainer Lonki Witbooi and manager Kholisile Cengani, Mboyiya was in buoyant mood.
The fight had been postponed on two previous occasions, and Mboyiya's lack of activity in the ring eventually cost him his top spot in the SA ratings.
It was initially scheduled to take place in April before Botswana promoters encountered financial constraints, forcing them to postpone the bout to May, only to hit another snag.
However, Witbooi, Mboyiya and Cengani finally boarded the flight to Gaborone, confident that the fight will finally go ahead.
“We are on board to Gaborone as we speak so everything about this fight looks good," Witbooi said.
“Mboyiya is in the right frame of mind going into this fight and he is confident of returning home with a win.
“Remember he is coming off back-to-back wins, and he wants to maintain this winning streak to return to the ratings.”
Despite being inactive for almost two years since beating Lindokuhle Dlamini at the Orient Theatre, Mboyiya was in high spirits, reveling at the chance to showcase the skills which helped rejuvenate his career since teaming up with Witbooi.
His long period of inactivity saw him being removed from the ratings, though Boxing SA red tape also played a role — his scheduled SA junior-welterweight title clash against Sipho Mahlangu was shelved after second-ranked Sibusiso Zingange demanded to be given first preference.
With two promoters vying to stage the fight, BSA took the promotional rights to purse bids.
However, no promoter contested the rights.
Mboyiya’s camp then agreed to let Johannesburg promoter Joyce Kungwange organise the fight, but she hit several speed bumps and eventually gave up.
Witbooi said he would petition BSA to reinstate his charge as the top-ranked contender if he won the Botswana fight.
“I feel it was unfair that Mboyiya was removed from the ratings because this inactivity was not due to his fault.
“But rather than engage in an endless argument with BSA, I will simply request him to be reinstated if he wins on Friday.”
On paper, Mboyiya should not have a problem emerging victorious as he boasts a better fight CV than Ogaketse, who has lost five times with just eight wins.
Four of the losses were suffered against SA opposition, with a second-round demolition at the hands of Kaine Fourie adding to defeats by Jeff Magagane, Talent Baloyi and Anthony Moloisane.
Mboyiya is enjoying a career resurgence though he is now a 34-year-old veteran, having burst onto the scene 14 years ago by winning the SA featherweight title as a 20-year-old.
