LUKAS Ndafoluma lost the WBO African middleweight title in his second title defence, on an eighth round technical knockout to Nkululeko Mhlongo of South Africa on Saturday night.
Ndafoluma got off to a great start when he sent Mhlongo to the canvas in the first round, but the South African managed to beat the count and see out the round.
From then on Mhlongo gradually gained control of the fight, and by the fifth round he was well on top as he pummelled away at Ndafoluma on the ropes.
By the sixth round he sent Ndafoluma down to the canvas, and although Ndafoluma managed to beat the count, the end was near.
He fought on courageously in the seventh round, but by the eighth, the referee stopped the fight after a barrage of blows by Mhlongo, while Ndafoluma failed to respond.
It was a poor display by Ndafoluma, who was clearly not himself, as he explained after the fight:
“I prepared well for this fight, but last week I got a cough, so I was very weak the whole time, but I won’t make excuses, he was the better fighter tonight. I didn’t feel well tonight, but I know I will be back,” he said.
Ndafoluma’s promoter Kiriat Kamanya asked the South African camp for a rematch and they obliged, so at least Ndafoluma will have an opportunity to reclaim the title.
In the main supporting bout, Immanuel Josef comfortably retained his WBO Africa flyweight title with a unanimous points decision over Muhsin Kizota of Tanzania.
Josef gave a sharp display, pushing the pace with his snappy jab and beating the Tanzanian with his speed and power.
Josef was clearly stunned by a clash of heads in the second and fourth rounds, but by the fifth he was well in control, landing some big shots at will.
In the seventh round a swinging right hook shook Kizota, but he managed to see out the round, and the rest of the fight, although he tried his best to hold on and slow the fight down.
Josef was a comfortable winner with all three judges scoring it in his favour, 98-91, 97-92, 98-91.
Albinus Felesianu was also in fine form, beating Yohani Banda of Malawi on a fourth round technical knockout.
He wore the Malawian down with some powerful body shots in the early rounds, sending him to the canvas by the third round.
Banda managed to beat the count but once again went down in the fourth round and although he once again got up, the referee stopped the fight after one minute 35 seconds.
Nataniel Kakololo was also a comfortable winner against Romeo Makwakwa of Malawi, winning a unanimous decision over six rounds.
Attacking the head and body, Kakololo took control from the start and by the fourth round sent Makwakwa down to the canvas for the first time.
Makwakwa beat the count but was once again put down in the fifth and sixth rounds, and at the end was just doing his best to stay clear of Kakololo’s powerful punches.
The three judges scored the fight 60-51, 60-51, 58-53 in Kakololo’s favour.
The other results were as follows:
Matias Hamunyela beat Leonard Gawanab on a unanimous points decision (39-37, 39-37, 39-37) in a flyweight fight over four rounds.
Fillemon Nghitunanye beat Mathews Nghikevali on a first round technical knockout in a flyweight fight.
Paulus Morgan beat Stefanus Shivambo on a split decision in a super lightweight fight. (40-36, 38-37, 37-38).
Shifiona Tomas beat Andreas Amupolo on a second round technical knockout in a super bantamweight fight.
Jonas Erastus beat Oiva Amwaama on a third round TKO in a flyweight fight.
Bernard Bernard beat Herbert Negumbo on a first round knockout in a welterweight fight.
Abed Shikongo beat Simon Shafodino on points in a super welterweight fight.
Gabriel Jamba and Salatiel Moses drew their bantamweight fight over four rounds.
