Boxing results, report. In a rematch Zolani Marali got his revenge when he dethroned fellow
countryman Ali Funeka to win the WBF Light Welterweight title on
Saturday at the Orient Theatre in East London, South
Africa.
Funeka won a controversial split decision over Marali in November
2011, and both had vowed to set the record straight in the long-awaited
second go-around. It didn’t turn out to be quite as pulsating as the
first encounter, but the two warriors did, again, bring the best out of
each other, and gave the enthusiastic crowd another good fight.
But this time there was no controversy, as Marali was the best man on
the night and put on a magnificent performance to win a unanimous
decision. Marali looked sharp and determined from the start, and boxed
well from his southpaw stance, but the defending champion also had his
moments and was not giving up his title without a fight.
In the end, judges Siphiwe Mbini, Lulama Mtya and Andile Matika, all
from South Africa, scored the contest 116-113, 116-113 and 116-114 in
favor of new champion Marali, who surely must have found great
satisfaction in evening the score with Funeka after more than a year of
waiting for the opportunity.
New WBF Light Welterweight Champion Zolani “Untouchable” Marali
improved his professional ledger to 22-5 (13), while Ali “Rush Hour”
Funeka drops to 31-4-3 (25). A rubber-match between these two should not
be out of the question, as they will likely always put on a great show.
The fight was promoted by Siphato Handi and his Mamali Promotions. Referee in charge was Darryl Ribbink.
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