Tshifhiwa Munyai

Infobox Boxer
name = Tshifhiwa Munyai


imagesize =
realname = Tshifhiwa Munyai
nickname = Atomic Spider
weight = Bantamweight
height =
reach =
nationality = Flagicon|RSA South Africa
birth_date = 8 May 1985
birth_place = South Africa
death_date =
death_place =
style = Orthodox
total = 18
wins = 16
losses = 1
draws = 1
no contests =
KO = 8Tshifhiwa Munyai is a professional boxer from South Africa who has competed in the bantamweight and featherweight divisions.

Early Professional Career

Munyai spent the early part of his career boxing in the townships of his native country South Africa. He had compiled a record of 10-0-1 by the time he left the country to box abroad for the first time as a professional. [ [http://www.boxrec.com/list_bouts.php?human_id=225386&cat=boxer Boxrec | Tshifhiwa Munyai professional record] ]

His big opportunity came when he was given the opportunity in June 2006 to fight England's Martin Power for the vacant Commonwealth bantamweight title. Power came into the contest with an undefeated record of 19-0 and was the holder of the British bantamweight title at the time. Munyai stunned the boxing world by beating Power with a 9th round TKO in London's York Hall. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/solpda/ifs_sport/hi/newsid_5129000/5129918.stm? BBC Sport | Power stopped in Commonwealth bid] ]

Championship wins

Following his victory Munyai returned to the York Hall to defend against former Commonwealth Flyweight champion Lee Haskins. He won the contest in the 6th round when referee Micky Vann stepped in stop the contest after Haskins came off worst after being caught with a number of body shots. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/boxing/5410256.stm BBC Sport | Marvellous Munyai crushes Haskins] ] In January 2007 Munyai once again met Martin Power this time at the Goresbrook Leisure Center in Dagenham. This time the victory was emphatic with Munyai winning four one sided rounds before Power was pulled by his corner in the fourth. Power claimed in an interview with the BBC that an elbow injury had hampered his performance saying "I picked up an elbow injury after the second round and it was restricting me. It was hard enough to fight him with two hands, but with just one I was struggling. I wanted to carry on but my corner wouldn't let me." A confident Munyai said simply "I knew from the first fight that I could beat him and, if anything, this fight was even easier for me." [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/solpda/ifs_sport/hi/newsid_6304000/6304265.stm BBC Sport | Munyai halts Power for a second time] ]

Following his victories Munyai fought twice more in the UK and moved up to featherweight with 8 round wins over Harry Ramogoadi and Abdul Tebazalwa before returning to South Africa as a bantamweight. In February 2008 he challenged the Argentinian Julio David Roque Ler for the WBC Inter-continental bantamweight title in Bloemfontein and came out a unanimous points winner. [ [http://www.britishboxing.net/fights_106911-Tshifhiwa-Munyai-vs-Julio-David-Roque-Ler.html Britishboxing.net | Munyai vs Roque Ler] ]

Defeat to Akaba

In July 2008 Munyai returned to the UK and to the Goresbrook Leisure Centre the scene of his second victory over Martin Power. Once again competing at featherweight he was this time defeated by the Ghanaian boxer Osumana Akaba over 8 rounds. After the fight Akaba responded to comments that he had just been there to make up the numbers saying "“I know that people didn't rate my record and thought they were going to use me as a stepping stone, just as a journeyman. I knew going into the fight that he'd beaten a lot of good people, but they were afraid of him.”" [ [http://www.britishboxing.net/news_3667-Osumanu-Akaba:-Accra-s-Golden-Boy-in-London.html Britishboxing.net | Accra's golden boy in London] ]

References