Cassius Baloyi won his sixth world title on Saturday when he out-pointed Mzonke Fana to regain the IBF world junior lightweight crown at the University Sports Complex in Mafikeng.
However, Baloyi (33) won the contest by a puzzling ”majority” decision that few in the audience could possibly understand. After two judges saw him as a clear winner (117-111 and 116-112), the third marked his card a draw (114-114). Which fight Germany’s Ingo Barrabas was watching is anybody’s guess.
Nevertheless, in recording a brilliant points win over a courageous Fana, the affable Baloyi again rewrote the record books of South African boxing.
One of only four South Africans ever to register double figures in world championship fights — the others being Jacob Matlala, Vuyani Bungu and Brian Mitchell — Baloyi moved his mark in world title events to 20-2, with a collective tally of 14 world title defences.
”This must mean something insofar as Cassius’s legacy is concerned,” said a jubilant Golden Gloves promoter Rodney Berman after the fight. ”Could we in fact now proclaim him as the king of all South African pugilists, past or present?”
That could be the case, providing the ”numbers” mean anything in an analyst’s mind. Remember, Baloyi is:
- the only South African boxer ever to have won six world titles;
- the only South African boxer to have regained a prestigious IBF world title;
- the only South African boxer to have featured in as many as 22 world title bouts; and
- the only South African boxer to have fashioned as many as 14 world title defences.
This country’s other leading performers in the international arena included lauded world champions such as Mitchell — 14 bouts (12-0-2); Bungu — 18 bouts (15-3); and Jacob Matlala, 18 bouts (14-4).
It should be remembered Bungu made 13 successful world title defences, Mitchell 12 and Matlala 10.
The magnificent Mitchell won two prestigious world titles (WBA and IBF) and Bungu won the IBF and IBO world championships.
Matlala, despite being one of South African boxing’s all-time favourites, failed to lift one of the major organisation titles (WBA, WBC or IBF).
Astounding as it may seem, the opportunity may soon arise for Baloyi to improve his world championship legacy even further by featuring in a world-title unification bout within the next six months.
”That’s what we’re after. That’s what we want,” said Berman on Sunday. — Sapa