We’re starting to become avid fans of boxing and the local ESPN Africa bouts have been a major reason for that – such is its effect that we’ve now started doing a regular feature on it, welcome to the latest one. In what was the last instalment for the year, the DRC’s Emmany Kalombo successfully defended his IBF Junior Middleweight belt with an impressive TKO win over India’s Shiva Thakran at ESPN Africa Boxing 24 in Jozi.
The first round saw the two fighters feeling each other out as neither took any big risks. The second round, however, saw Kalombo throwing some big shots, but narrowly missing. That was not the case in the third with the man from DRC landing some telling blows which visibly left Thakran hurt.

As a result, the man from India failed to answer the fourth round as Kalombo picked up the 17th win of his career (17-1-0). Thakran’s fight record stands at 16-4-1.
Triumphant return for Kriel
The co-main event saw a triumphant return to the ring for Dee-jay Kriel (17-2-1) who earned a split decision win (76-76, 78-74, 77-75) over Thembelani Nxoshe (19-10-2) in their catchweight fight over eight rounds.
After being out of action for over two years, Kriel was working off the ring rust early on which probably saw his opponent win the first couple of rounds.
In the third, though, the former IBF World champion picked up the pace and started taking control, with Nxoshe having no answer.
The remaining rounds saw Kriel take the center of the ring and keep up the pressure with a constant barrage of punches which earned him the win.
Simwaka stops Nxokwana in her tracks
The main card opened with an International Female Bantamweight fight that saw Malawi’s Ellen Simwaka (12-5-2) earn a TKO win over South Africa’s Asandiswa Nxokwana (7-5-2).
Simwaka was the more aggressive of the two and threw a lot of punches from the opening bell. Nxokwana was nowhere to be found in the first round and received a lot of punishment in the second.
Consequently, the South African failed to answer the bell for the third round.
Rossouw edges all-out war
The second bout on the main card produced a thriller with South Africa’s Darrin Rossouw (7-0-0) earning a unanimous decision win (77-75, 78-75, 78-74) over DRC’s Jacques Tshikubu Muvud (7-2-1) in an International Middleweight contest over eight rounds.
It was an explosive opening round with both boxer’s throwing a lot of shots, as they stood toe-to-toe and exchanged thunderous blows.
And that is the way it continued for the next seven rounds, with neither fighter giving an inch. Jabs, straights, hooks, upper-cuts and overhand rights were all on display in what can only be described as all out war.
In the end, it was Rossouw who landed the cleaner blows to maintain his unbeaten record.
Mukala with another world class performance
The third bout on the main card saw DRC’s Patrick Mukala (14-2-1) earn a TKO win over South Africa’s Yanga Petani (14-5-1) in an International Super Middleweight contest.
It was a cagey first round but the whole time you could see Mukala was trying to figure out how to close the distance on his much taller opponent.
By the second round the man from the DRC had figured Petani out and put him on the canvas with a stinging left jab to the head. The South African answered the count and made it to the end of the round.
Mukala dished out more punishment in the third as he picked his opponent apart at will. Subsequently, Petani failed to answer the bell for the fourth round.
Undercard:
The evening opened with an International Welterweight contest that saw DRC’s Aaron Muteba (2-0-0) earn a second round TKO win over South Africa’s Phumelelo Cele.
It was a devastating straight left from the southpaw that put Cele on the floor and unable to continue, with the referee calling a stop to the fight two minutes and 39 seconds into round two.
Results:
- Aaron Muteba wins by TKO over Phumelelo Cele (2 mins, 39 secs in round 2)
- Ellen Simwaka wins by TKO over Asandiswa Nxokwana (failed to answer 3rd round)
- Darrin Rossouw wins by unanimous decision over Jacques Muvud (77-75, 78-75, 78-74)
- Patrick Mukala wins by TKO over Yanga Petani (failed to answer 4th round)
- Dee-jay Kriel wins by split decision over Thembelani Nxoshe (76-76, 78-74, 77-75)
Emmany Kalombo wins by TKO over Shiba Thakran (failed to answer 4th round).
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