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In what was a genuine grudge-match
between South Africans, Thato
Bonokoane retained his World Boxing
Federation (WBF) Intercontinental
Super Bantamweight title against
Innocent Mantengu on Friday April 8
in Middleburg, Mpumalanga province.
Promoted by J4Joy Promotions, the
slick and elusive Bonokoane
controlled former South African, IBF
Africa and WBA Pan Africa champion
Mantengu, scoring a knockdown in the
fourth round, before registering a
well-deserved unanimous decision.
Mantengu fought well, though, as he
came back strong after the
knock-down, and he even managed to
rock Bonokoane with a vicious left
hook in the twelfth round, but the
champion, while clearly in trouble,
managed to survive the scare.
Judges David Van Niewenhuizen, Simon
Mokadi and Phumeza Zinakile scored
the fight for Bonokoane 116-111,
117-110 and 115-112 respectively.
Bonokoane, who won the title last
October and was making his maiden
title-defense, improved his
professional record to 12-5-3 (8),
while Mantengu drops to 14-7-1 (5).
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