Mzukisi Sikali is living on borrowed time as the IBO flyweight title holder, warns challenger Mhikiza Myekeni.
The two gladiators, who are from Port Elizabeth and East London respectively, will fight at Carnival City, east of Johannesburg, on Saturday night.
”Sikali’s time is up. This is my time,” said Myekeni.
But the 26-year-old challenger whose skills are honed by Nick Durandt described Sikali as a good boxer all round.
Myekeni, however, warned that he has the perfect strategy to outsmart Sikali, who can best be described as a class act.
”Defeat is not an option,” said Myekeni.
On paper the left-handed 33-year-old champion, a former WBU junior fly and junior bantamweight holder, is a hot favourite due to both his longevity in the fight game and his pedigree in big fights.
Sikali, who is under the tutelage of trainer Harold Volbrecht, has massive experience that he has gained from 35 fights.
He is also a master of the awkward southpaw stance. Sikali boasts 28 wins (16 KOs), five losses and two draws compared with Myekeni’s 17 victories and a loss.
Sikali is also accustomed to big fights — including nine international assignments — while Myekeni has only three international opponents against his name.
Sikali won six, lost two and drew one against Roy Doliguez in 2002.
They clashed heads accidentally in the second round and Sikali sustained a bad gash on his forehead. The wound bled profusely, blurring his vision, and their fight was stopped in the third round.
Myekeni was stopped in three rounds by Anis Rogas for the IBF junior flyweight belt in Indonesia in 2000. He later beat Jose Garcia for the IBO belt in 2002 and followed up with a debatable points win over Wyndel Janiola to retain his belt in 2003.
Myekeni, who idled without a fight for almost 14 months, was stripped of his title.
He dusted his cobwebs off against Mlungiseleli Xokoloshe, winning their eight-rounder two months ago.
That victory earned Myekeni a chance to show his mettle against Sikali in a fight that has been dubbed the ”Stealth of the Tiger”.
Sikali outpointed Masibulele Makepula for the IBO belt in 2003. The two met in a rematch the following year and Sikali stopped Makepula in four rounds last October.
”A win against Sikali will open doors wide for me,” said Myekeni. Defeat will signal a ”cul de sac — end of the road” for Sikali. — Sapa