Ex-footballer Khumalo Makes History Defeating Bopape To Become Sa Champ

History was made on Sunday night in South African boxing when a former professional footballer with no amateur boxing experience was crowned South African middleweight champion in his 10th professional boxing match.

Phikelelani Stinger Khumalo from Mthwalume, south of Durban, whose Nguni name means Perseverance, is the history-making boxer.

A former striker for Lampontville Golden Arrows and Maritzburg United in the MultiChoice Diski Challenge under-23 and reserve league who swapped his football boots for boxing gloves in 2020, Khumalo dethroned vastly experienced, hard-hitting champion John Section 29' Bopape. His win came via a deserved unanimous points decision over 12 rounds at the Town Hall in Estcourt, KwaZulu-Natal.

The 27-year-old, left-handed Khumalo dropped Bopape from Alexandra township, east of Johannesburg, three times in rounds: two, four and 11th.

Though he beat the mandatory eight counts, he lost six points in those rounds. At the beginning of a round, two fighters are level at 10 points each .