image: Hekkie Buddler
By: Saneliso Mlambo
Umshayi sibhakela waseningizimu afrika uHekkie Budler(31) usethubeni lokulwela isicoco se World Boxing light flyweight esiphethwe nguKen Shiro waseJapan.
UBuddler owagcina ukulwa ngo 31December 2018 empini ahlulwa kuyo nguHiroto Kyoguchi waseJapan, usanda kuqokwa wakleliswa wabangowokuqala kwisigaba selight flyweight yi World Boxing Council. Ukukleliswa kuka Buddler, akumbeki njengebhokisa elihamba phambili kulesigaba kuphela, kodwa kumbeka ethubeni lokuzithola elwela isicoco se light flyweight nompetha waseJapan uShiro (27) osesivikele ngempumelelo izikhathi eziyisithupha lesicoco, noma abe sempini yokuhlunga nalowo ozokhethwa yi WBC.
“Kuyajabulisa ukubona ikusasa lami emdlalweni wesibhakela liqhubekela phambili, loku akusiyo into encane neze. Ngiswele imilomo namagama okungalingana nenjabulo yami njengamanje. Okwami ukuqhubeka nokusebenza kanzima, kanye nokubeka umdali phambili kukokonke engikwenzayo,” kusho uBuddler.
UColin Nathan osesebenze noBuddler isikhathi eside uthe:
“UBuddler angeke ngamfanisa namanye amabhokisa, ukuzimisela kwakhe kanye nenhlonipho emdlalweni wesibhakela ayandile neze. Akungithusi ukubona evulekelwa amathuba ngalendlela, uyibhokisa elihlala lisebenza ngokuzikhandla njalo futhi ngiyaziqhenya ngaye.”
UBuddler,owaqala ukuqopha umlando eseyivukane ngokuba yibhokisa elincane kunawowonke ukuwina isicoco seSouth Africa championship izikhathi ezimbili, uthathwa njengebhokisa eselihlomule ukuwadlula wonke eNingizimu Africa. Waqala ukulwa isibhakela samazinga aphezulu ngo July 2007, kanti uselwe izimpi ezingu 36 wahlulwa kuphela kwezine.
Usephathe izicoco ezahlukene okubalwa ese IBO All Africa junior flyweight, IBO junior flyweight, IBO minimuweight, WBA interim minimumweight, WBA minimumweight, WBA “super” minimumweight, WBA Pan African junior flyweight, IBO light flyweight, WBA and IBF light flyweight.
Uma iWBC ithi uBuddler akalwe empini yokuhlunga, loko kusho ukuthi uzohlangana no Ryoichi Tagushi waseJapan aseke wabhekana naye empini ayinqoba ngamaphuzu ngo2018, noma u Angel Acosta wase Puerto Rico.