Du Plooy to Whip Mwelase into Shape

BOXING trainer and former world heavyweight contender Johny du Plooy has promised to whip his errant charge Bongani Mwelase into shape for his next bouts.

Du Plooy was reacting to Mwelase’s pathetic performance when he came back from the brink of defeat to score a seventh- round stoppage victory over Namibian Ali Nuumbembe in Parys in the Free State at the weekend.

Although Mwelase managed to keep his unbeaten record of 13 fights, with 12 knockouts, intact, the performance was one of his worst and cast serious doubts over his discipline under Du Plooy’s tutelage.

Mwelase, an obviously talented fighter, was in poor physical condition and failed to make the weight, thus losing his WBF welterweight title on the scales before even stepping into the ring.

Plodding and pawing with a lazy jab, Mwelase was a sitting duck for Nuumbembe’s straight right, which landed at will throughout the seven rounds.

The constant thudding of the punches drew blood from his nostrils and left him panting even before the fight entered the second half.

Although resilient, Nuumbembe offered nothing special and the Namibian doesn’t come close to Mwelase in terms of raw talent.

However, Mwelase, who seemed to be in free fall since dumping promoter Branco Milenkovic, a move that cost him his lofty ranking in the WBC, hardly showed any of the talent which saw him winning a gold medal at the Commonwealth Games.

He also won the Baby Champs title in his first year as a professional and was voted as the prospect of the year within in a space of two years before adding the South African and WBC International crowns when he beat Lucky Lewele in 2007.

The fight was stopped when Mwelase stunned Nuumbembe with a counter right hook and followed up with a barrage of blows that forced the referee to bring the fight to an end.

Du Plooy admitted his charge was not toeing the line. “We will … take serious decisions about his condition,” said Du Plooy.

In another bout Mlungisi Dlamini was outstanding when he outpointed former IBF junior-lightweight champion Gairy St Clair to retain his WBF lightweight crown.

Tshifhiwa Munyai also retained the WBA International bantamweight title when he beat Bongani Mahlangu.