Kwesé Sports: Nicholas Radley vs. Khayeni Hlungwane & David Rajuili vs. Jonas Segu II RBR

IB Funfact:

Ilunga Makabu was KTFO by Khayeni Hlungwane in half a minute in their mutual pro debut, a decade + three months ago.

 

The commentators believe the ref should have given Hlungwane a standing eight count in the second when he turned his back.

 

Round 3

Hlungwane is getting jabbed in the face even as he lets his spine go slack and sags over to one side with the right hand up to protect his jaw, face turned away, left hand dangling by his knees. Radley is just stepping around, finding a home for the power jab, and not wasting much energy on taking his very negative opponent's bait and wildly attacking like Hlungwane is clearly hoping. Hlungwane takes the lead for a spell, and Radley gallops casually in retreat, countering with jabs as Hlungwane raises his left forearm, turned horizontally, to use it like a ramming shield during his sortie, but never really landing much outside a few grazing body shots.

10-9 Radley

30-27 Radley

 

Round 4

Hlungwane is coming forward and driving his forehead into Radley's chest, spanking his sides with either glove. Radley is pulling the carpet out from under him, trotting out and scoring jabs on the bridge of the nose and then doubling up on backfoot right uppercuts, getting full extension & snap on them with the aid of quick, precise footwork. Hlungwane rocked a few times. Radley jabs him into the ropes and picks his spots while Hlungwane hides behind his upheld left arm. BIG counter right by Hlungwane, lands flush, and Radley grins, gladdened to see his opponent finally fighting back. Double left hook and looping right to either side of the head by Radley, working Hlungwane over in the corner.

10-9 Radley

40-36 Radley

 

Round 5

Hlungwane comes out guns blazing, reaching up and over to successfully tap Radley on the face before sinking back into orbit. Hlungwane is clapping Radley every now and then with big right hands from the rear hip, exploding from the Philly shell. Radley not getting through with much this frame, jabbing Hlungwane's gloves back into his face but doing little else. Radley misses over the top with a right hand and then has a left hook from outside blocked. Cuffing shots to the back of the next by Radley as Hlungwane bows forward coming off the ropes with his arms forming an X in front of his face.

10-9 Hlungwane

49-46 Radley

 

The commentators mention that Radley had left hand surgery recently...

 

Round 6

Hlungwane is feeling his oats, dancing & showboating as he lands pot shot jabs while circling by the ropes and drawing the lead from Radley, slipping everything coming his way. Radley plants a hard right hand into the guard and Hlungwane mocks him as though it got through, raising his arms with a convulsion in a ghost-like "ooh, I'm spooked" gesture. Hlungwane is having fun in there, and Radley looking a little discouraged this isn't as easy as expected. Hlungwane is showing very slick defense and clapping up top with right hands to surprise Radley at intervals. Radley can't get through with straight punches but is hitting the sides of Hlungwane with uppercuts inside once in a while.

10-9 Hlungwane

58-56 Radley

 

Round 7

Hlungwane is still casually skipping merrily along, shimmying to slip punches and rolling his shoulder with a little smirk for Radley every time he does get through with something cleanly. Radley is opening up on him, determined to bag a clear round - or gunning for the KO. Radley is putting in straight combos and giving Hlungwane no quarter for the middle portion of the round. Radley is easily getting inside, as Hlungwane is just backhanding a weak jab, nothing too deterrent. Radley is spiking the body as Hlungwane puts up a turtle shell.

10-9 Radley

68-65 Radley

 

Round 8

Hlungwane is sliding his feet, arching his spine, rolling his shoulders in, doing a bit of a Quasimodo Shuffle as Radley works him over with jabs to his face and right uppercuts woven between his ulna and throat/face. Radley patiently chipping away on Hlungwane, going unopposed for long stretches but occasionally surprised by a big right hand. An overhand combo at the bell from Hlungwane stuns Radley.

10-9 Radley, but close

78-74 Radley

 

Round 9

Hlungwane is jumping on Radley, sensing that whatever foundation he laid at the end of the eighth round is still there for him. Uppercuts and overhands by Hlungwane in nonstop succession!! RADLEY IS WOBBLED BADLY! Radley is pumping weak jabs but can't keep Hlungwane off him. Hlungwane ventures in too close and ends up pressing atop Radley, sandwiching him against the ropes. Broken up by the ref. Radley is out on his feet, dead tired, jabbing and uppercutting away weakly to fend Hlungwane off but to no avail. HUGE right hands by Hlungwane, knocking Radley into the ropes. Radley getting barraged and bobble-headed. Hlungwane's momentum carries him atop his quarry once more, dousing the flames accidentally on his offense. Radley now rallies and starts to put some mustard on his uppercuts, backing Hlungwane off as the shorter man now tires from spending so much of himself.

10-9 Hlungwane, almost 10-8

87-84 Radley

 

Round 10

Hlungwane is tired, following Radley alternately with a Philly and turtle shell and jumping at him when he jabs, batting his glove down with either arm. Radley is just circling to his left, taking pot shots with his left jab. Zigzagging footwork by Radley, able to leave Hlungwane marching down phantoms, and falling in on him with a clubbing right hand from the side.

10-9 Radley, nice comeback, managed to control the pace and regroup

97-93 Radley

 

Round 11

Hlungwane is loping after Radley in a stuttering canter, visibly low on reserves of energy. Radley has a second wind, forming a nice tight guard and crisply jabbing from outside, his footwork getting tidier once more as well. Radley is carefully picking Hlungwane apart from range now. Hlungwane carrying both arms very low to save his strength and loading up on big overhands whenever he is even remotely in range. Hlungwane comes in with a jab poking out from the chest, missing a big looping right as Radley circles by him. Nice 1-2 by Radley at the bell.

10-9 Radley

107-102 Radley

 

Round 12

Hlungwane is bent over to his right, crabbing in, jabbing the body. Radley is swinging himself around to either side above the waist, jumping in and out, jabbing at the head, keeping his arms spread a little wide to bait Hlungwane. Pot shot right hand off the hip by Radley as Hlungwane is circling by the ropes. Neither man going all out in the final round - Hlungwane seemingly unable or unwilling to mount one more big surge and Radley careful to preserve what he believes is a comfortable points lead.

10-9 Radley

117-111 Radley

 

Play by play commentator is once again simpatico with my scoring - giving Hlungwane three rounds and saying the 9th was honestly best scored a 10-8.

This guy knows his shit.

 

This is for the vacant *South African light heavyweight title, btw (a belt with a history dating to 1933, with a lineage including Thulani Malinga, Daniel Bruwer, Johnny Muller, and Ryno Liebenberg)