Fillemon Nghutenanye won the vacant WBO Global flyweight title on Saturday night on a technical knockout after his opponent, Bernand Robles of the Philippines, failed to come out for the fifth round.
Afterwards, Robles said he had injured his right hand after a blow to Nghutenanye’s shoulder in the first round, and although he tried to continue, he was in too much pain and decided to quit by the end of the fourth round.
It was a deflating end to a highly anticipated fight which was already mired in controversy after the start was delayed by more than an hour.
According to the ring announcer, the delay was due to technical problems, but according to a source, it was due to a contract dispute, with Nghutenanye demanding more than he was offered.
MTC Salute Boxing Academy promoter Kiriat Kamanya did not reply to queries about the delay.
The premature ending was unfortunate as the fight was developing into a fine contest by then.
After a cagey start, with the two boxers sizing each other up, the fight exploded into action in the third round when Robles landed some fast combinations.
Nghutenanye, however, responded with some powerful blows of his own and started gaining the upper hand in the fourth round with his relentless pressure and combinations to head and body.
With the crowd cheering them on, both boxers upped the tempo, slugging it out in the centre of the ring, before Robles’ sudden withdrawal put an end to the fight.
With the result Nghutenanye took his record to 15 wins, two draws and one defeat, while he won the WBO Global flyweight title for the first time.
His previous attempt at the title resulted in his only professional defeat when he lost on a split decision to Mchanja Yohana of Tanzania last year.
Robles’ record now stands at 13 wins, two losses and one draw.
The main supporting fight also had a controversial ending when Abed Shikongo knocked out Israel Kamwamba of Malawi within a minute of the first round in an international welterweight fight.
After a hesitant start, Shikongo sent Kamwamba to the canvas with just about his first solid punch that hardly looked threatening, but the Malawian was in no mood to continue and eventually had to be revived by the ring doctor.
With the win Shikongo took his record to 13 wins, one draw and one loss, while Kamwamba’s record now stand’s at 15 wins, 18 losses and two draws.
Jonathan Kasheeta, meanwhile, won the WBO Africa bantamweight title on a fifth-round technical knockout against Ally Ngwando of Tanzania.
Kasheeta got off to a shaky start as Ngwando sent him to the canvas in the first round, but he immediately got up and started to impose his authority as the fight progressed.
By the third round, he was well in control, and by the fourth he had the crowd up on its feet as he laid into Ngwando with powerful combinations.
The end also came controversially as he sent Ngwando to the canvas in the fifth, and although he beat the count, the referee stopped the fight, much to the Tanzanian camp’s dismay.
Kasheeta’s pro record now stands at 10 wins and one loss, while Ngwando’s record stands at 12 wins, five losses and two draws.
In other results, Nathanael Kakololo beat Josef Abel on a unanimous points decision in a welterweight fight, Mervin Nguno beat Abraham Petrus on a unanimous points decision in a junior welterweight fight, Elias Moongela beat Jonas Erastus on points in a junior bantamweight fight, and David Egumbo beat Erasmus Hifivali on points in a junior welterweight fight.
