Now he wants to retrace his steps by reclaiming the SA title from Teyisi, who has since made two defences, including a stoppage win over Thongwana.
With both Tshabalala and Teyisi having since bolted XP’s stable, their fight will likely end up under the banner of Teyisi’s new promoters Ground Up Sports.
However, Teyisi’s manager, Bongani Bozo, poured cold water on the fight being a done deal.
“We are yet to discuss this fight to see if it will serve our interest,” he said. “Right now I am out of town, and we will discuss it when I am back.”
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The camp of world-rated Siseko Teyisi has allayed concerns that going the WBC route may jeopardise his IBF title quest ahead of his Saturday ring return under new handlers.
The 21-year-old will begin his life under new promoter Ground Up Sports when he faces Filipino Neel Jacamos for the WBC Youth junior flyweight belt at the Jan Smuts Stadium in KuGompo City.
The bout will be part of the blockbuster farewell fight of one of SA’s most successful boxing exports, Xolisani “Nomeva” Ndongeni, when he faces late substitute Chumani Tunzi, who replaces Sanele Msimang.
The event is stuffed with other forms of entertainment, including live music performances as well as amateur bouts preceding the main tournament.
It is such a big occasion that the SABC has already sent its trucks to the city to screen the tournament live with other activities lined up for the day.
While the limelight is on Ndongeni, who will bring the curtain down on his glittering 16-year career, which had humble beginnings at Duncan Village, the return of Teyisi under Ground Up Sports has also captured attention.
The NU12 Mdantsane prodigy was signed by Loyiso Magqaza’s Ground Up after he was released by Xaba Promotions amid a firestorm stemming from a promotional dispute in December.
XP guided Teyisi to the IBF intercontinental title with a victory over Filipino Elmar Zamora in September, helping him break into the IBF rankings at seventh — two rungs below fellow KuGompo City boxer Sivenathi Nontshinga, who is ranked fifth.
But with Nontshinga being recently mandated to contest the title eliminator against third-ranked former victim Regie Suganob with first and second spots vacant, Teyisi was expected to move up and boost his chances of a world title shot.
However, his handlers have instead decided to go the WBC route by chasing its youth title, which normally does not guarantee improved ratings.
Speaking at the media briefing at the fight venue on Tuesday, Magqaza defended the move of Teyisi not fighting for an IBF-sanctioned bout, insisting he still had time on his side.
“Teyisi is just 21 years and has plenty of time to develop as a boxer,” he said.
“We are not chasing any title as yet, and this bout will help him grow as a boxer.”
Teyisi will be fighting for the first time under new trainer Khangelani Jack, whom he joined after his fallout with XP which led to him being shown the door at the Xaba Boxing Academy.
Jack promised to unleash a new focused Teyisi to position him for all the best opportunities in the game.
“We are not focusing on one sanctioning body; hence, we accepted this fight,” he said.
“We want to position him for any opportunity that comes his way, and I can say people will see a different Teyisi on Saturday.
“We have been working on a number of areas in the gym.”
Both Teyisi and Jacamos are unbeaten, with the Filipino’s seven bouts two shy of the Mdantsane southpaw.
Jacamos, who will be fighting out of his country for the first time, was surprisingly in high spirits and spoke good English.
Like all Filipino boxers, who often show big respect to their opponents before a fight, Jacomos thanked the promoter as well as Teyisi for giving him an opportunity to fight for the youth title.
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World-rated Teyisi is being steered towards the international stage, having won the IBF intercontinental and WBC world youth titles to improve his world-class credentials.
He was last in action in May when he beat Filipino Neel Jacamos to claim the WBC youth belt at Jan Smuts Stadium in KuGompo City.
Ground Up Sports boss Loyiso Magqaza said the 21-year-old would not be rushed to a world title shot as the promotion wanted him to gain experience.
“Teyisi is still young; hence, we arranged for him to fight for the WBC youth title, as it will help build his international pedigree,” he said before the fight.
If Azinga Fuzile’s highly anticipated clash against Asanda Gingqi were to be judged by gab, Fuzile would have been declared the winner long before they climbed into the Orient Theatre ring on Friday.
Fuzile dominated the pre-medical part of the fight at the Osner Hotel so much on Tuesday that even Gingqi’s promoter Ayanda Matiti, who will stage the fight, came second best despite his political background.
Meeting for the second time, the pair, who will clash in an international junior-lightweight bout, both predicted victory, with Gingqi, whose SA title will not be at stake, dismissing his underdog status.
This gave Fuzile an opportunity to hammer home his chances, especially after Matiti had questioned his ability to slaughter a sheep, which will be presented to the winner.
“If you question my ability to slaughter a sheep, watch me when I slaughter your boxer on Friday, and after that you will never doubt me again,” he said to much applause.
Fuzile, who refused to have his weight checked, insisted he was in the right frame of mind both physically and psychologically, though he was slightly bothered by the insinuations that he was over the hill.
“I did not come here to have my weight checked but to talk about this fight, which means a lot to me.
“My international pedigree is under fire here, and I still do not understand why.
“It is unfortunate that I will have to use Gingqi to get back to where I think I belong.”
Matiti said though he picked Gingqi to win, he would still feature Fuzile in his September tournament to prove that no boxer would be tossed aside in the event of a loss.
“In fact, I will feature both boxers in my September show because the partnership I have with Mla Tengimfene [Fuzile’s manager] is not a one-off thing.”
The interest in the fight was even felt in the hotel, with staff overheard backing each boxer.
Matiti said tickets were still available, though some categories were already flying off the shelf.
“General tickets are selling fast, but there are some still available, so if they are not sold out by Thursday’s final weigh-in, they will be sold at the venue.
“I advise people not to wait that long because they might be finished by fight night.”
One of the undercard bouts, many of which have been overshadowed by the main bout, will see the provincial junior-flyweight title clash between defending champion Athenkosi Thongwana and rising star Gcobani Mdeliswa in a Duncan Village derby.
Thongwana, who lost to then Matiti-promoted Siseko Teyisi in an SA title challenge in December, said the fight would offer him another opportunity to climb up the ratings against second-ranked Mdeliswa.
“The fight against Teyisi is behind me. Now I want another chance to position myself for another title shot,” he said.
Moyisi Booi, who vies for the IBF Intercontinental junior-bantamweight belt against David Nunez, of Argentina, also sounded ready for his first international belt after ruling supreme as the SA champion.
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But the interest generated by the fight might convince Magqaza to make it, as it will raise the unbeaten Mdantsane southpaw’s profile.
Teyisi is unbeaten in 10 bouts, while the loss to Mendoza was Tshabalala’s second in 13 bouts.
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