Mathebula up for Oscar

Jeffrey Mathebula has promised to continue with his new-found aggression when he takes on Oscar Chauke in an IBF junior featherweight eliminator for the second spot at Carnival City, Brakpan on Saturday.

The Olympian says he has decided to shore up his attack following costly losses against Celestine Caballero in April 2009 and more recently Takalani Ndovu when he adopted a more casual approach to both bouts and ended up finding himself on the wrong side of the judges’ decision.

Mathebula could have made history by becoming the first local fighter to win two major world titles simultaneously had he put more effort into his WBA and IBF title challenge against Caballero.

However, he threw one good punch at a time and admired his work instead of going for the jugular when he had the Panamanian in trouble.

While the verdict was roundly slammed by the Panamanian media with some describing it as a horrendous outcome, Mathebula still left the Roberto Duran Arena in Panama City a loser because of his own doing more than anything else.

As if he did not learn anything from that unfortunate loss, Mathebula again fought against Ndlovu in their IBF title eliminator last September as if the fight was already in the bag and ended up losing a controversial decision.

And again after the fight he and his camp were moaning about the judges’ decision, which they felt gave the fight to the wrong fighter.

“I really did not see myself losing the fight and come on Ndlovu, if you are honest you can also agree with me on this one,” Mathebula (24-3-2, 14KOs) said at the post-fight press conference.

However, again the onus was on him as he let Ndlovu off the hook when he had him hurt on numerous occasions and instead allowed him back to the fight.

While the verdict in favour of Ndlovu was highly debatable – for in spite of Mathebula‘s casual approach, it had appeared he had done enough to eke out the win – Mathebula was still to blame for blowing his biggest chance of getting another world title crack.

Following his disputed victory, Ndlovu went on to dethrone Steve Molitor to reverse his two defeats against the Canadian, while Mathebula was left ruing his lost opportunity. Fortunately for him, he and Ndlovu are under the same promotion banner of Branco Sports Production (BSP) so he is in with a chance to avenge his loss, but he must get past Chauke on Saturday.

“If you see my fight after Ndlovu I adopted an aggressive approach when I knocked out Siviwe Hasheni,” Mathebula said.

“This is what I intend to do in all my fights now because obviously the judges are more impressed by aggression than anything else.”

“Hopefully Branco (Milenkovic) will give me a chance against Ndlovu again after beating Chauke on Saturday.”

Since that loss, Chauke (27-5-2, 10 KOs) has evolved into a better fighter as Ndlovu would agree after their Fight-of-the-Year, which Ndlovu won only because he appeared able to handle the featherweight limit under which the bout was contested.

Chauke has since returned to the junior featherweight ranks where he is much more comfortable and Mathebula may get a surprise of his life on Saturday.

Saturday’s event will also usher a moment of history for the country as the first major female world title will be staged when New Zealander Daniella Smith defends her IBF welterweight crown against East London’s Noni Thenge.

The historic tournament, which has since been converted into a Box and Dine dinner, is expected to be attended by the heavyweights of politics including Sports and Recreation Minister Fikile Mbalula.

Promoter Milenkovic said tickets for the public are still available at Computickets and Shoprite/Checkers at R50.