SA's oldest active boxer Bongani Mahlangu retains national title

Mahlangu stepped into the ring for the first time since claiming the title last year and saw off Mduduzi “GTI” Mzimela at the SABC’s Renaissance Hall in Auckland Park.

The 43-year-old floored Mzimela in the fifth round to retain his belt took off Ayabonga Sonjica, in what came as a shock to pundits and bookmakers alike.

Mahlangu says experience was key in achieving the result.

"I think the experience made me win the fight today. We knew that he was going to come and we were ready to dance with him. When I started dancing, he stopped chasing me and got frustrated. He played our game the way we wanted him to," he said.

Mahlangu improved his record to 25 wins; 13 via stoppages, and nine losses.

In Mzimela, he was meeting a boxer 17 years his junior as he opened up on the strategy applied on the night.

"I saw the fight from the road work that I won't finish all these rounds with him. I knew he won't reach round 12 because when I kept on fighting, I could feel that I was hurting the boy. On the second round, I gave him a cut inside his mouth, I saw that there was too much blood in his mouth. He didn't have any strategy, his strategy was to be aggressive, we knew that," he added.

History was also made on the night as this bill featured the first-ever father-and-son combo in the same tournament in the country.

Mahlangu’s son Bheki Maitse (21) also won his second professional bout in the featherweight division, overcoming Ontiretse Seleke on points.

But Maitse, fighting Seleke despite his failure to make the weight for the fight, was not entirely happy with the outcome.

"If I were to rate our performance for tonight, I would say 8 out of 10, not my level best but other than that I'm happy with the results. That boy was not on my level but it is what it is," Maitse said.