Julian Kiewietz
This past weekend’s Fight Island show delivered a vivid reminder to sports fans that Cape Town combat sport is growing from strength to strength.
At the Cabo Beach Club in the picturesque V&A Waterfront, with the Atlantic Ocean on one side and the towering Table Mountain on the other, both acting as natural backdrops, sport transcended the borders of the boxing community. It broke into pop culture as some of Africa’s finest combat sports athletes showcased their talents in front of South Africa’s biggest brands and celebrities.
UFC Middleweight champion Dricus du Plessis, Springboks Faf de Klerk, Steven Kitshoff and Manie Libbok, as well as comedians and musicians like Siv Ngesi and Tashreeq de Villiers all showed up in support of the very first boxing event to be hosted at one of South Africa’s premier night clubs and hangout spots.
Made possible by Insane Boxing Promotions and ML Boxing, Fight Island delivered a 12-fight card including a handful of upcoming amateurs and professional athletes who matched the energy and vibes outside the ring as the music pumped and drinks flowed for patrons.
On the prelim card, Aayesha Majiet got sweet revenge against an old foe in Lisolethu Majalisa when she won her fight via TKO in the third round.
Not too long ago, Majalisa secured a decision win over Majiet to earn the PFC Ladies Bantamweight title at the Camps Bay High School hall. This past weekend it would be Majiet’s turn to celebrate.
While Majalisa showcased good head movement, stance, slips, and feints, Majiet ramped up her trademark high work rate and overwhelmed her opponent, mixing up good jabs, hooks, and distance management, tiring Majalisa who failed to continue, forcing the referee to step in and call a stop to the fight.
Another exciting fight on the amateur card was the contest between Tau Matema and Jan Harm Solomons. After getting rocked early on in the fight and what looked to many like the ending, Mr Matema showcased great fight IQ, staying in the pocket, and trying to neutralize Solomons’ powerful straight right and left hook. Matema’s high work rate and volume of punches earned him a split decision.
On the main card, another upcoming amateur star Saarah Karriem put her hand up for her pro license after beating Hanna Von Worth via technical stoppage. Von Worth was game early on with great body shots, head movement, and counters. In the end, Karriem's work rate, one-two combinations, and composure would be too much for her opponent as Von Worth failed to come out for the fourth and final round.
Fan favourite and Dricus Du Plessis’ good friend and training partner, SD Pypers delivered the most vicious knockouts of the night in a four-round Middleweight division fight against Sipho Manya. From the first bell, Pypers, heading into the fight unbeaten with a 2-0 record, smothered his opponent with a flurry of jabs, straight rights, and uppercuts before eventually launching a colossal right jab and powerful left hook that sent Manya straight to the canvas.
The medical staff had to step in immediately to offer Manya oxygen support as he lay flat on his back.
In the main event, Cristiano Ndombassy gave those in his division a stark reminder that he was far from done when he brought an early end to Darrin Rossouw’s night. Rossouw was set to face Emile Brits; however, the latter was injured and Ndombassy stepped in to complete the main event, and he did so in fine style with a TKO finish early in the first round.