Malinga’s sweet, sour memories of TKO win
Boxer, 50, grateful to have achievements remembered
Peter “Destroyer” Malinga remembers vividly celebrating his 29th birthday in style when he won got presented himself a WBU millennium welterweight belt through a fourth round technical knockout of Ashley Whiteboy at Kopanong Hotel in Benoni, Ekurhuleni, on June 30, 2001.
“This day brings back good and bad memories,” said the retired 50-year-old former SA, WBU and IBO welterweight champion from Katlehong, Ekurhuleni.
“The man who was in my corner (his father and trainer Jabulani Malinga) is no longer alive so that we can talk about this day and many more when we won battles together.”
Jabulani – a former professional boxer – passed away in 2013 at the age of 65. Peter is the first-born son of Jabulani, – a former professional boxer – who was trained by Norman Hlabane. Malinga’s other sons – Patrick and Vus’Umuzi – also boxed professionally.
Patrick held the SA lightweight belt while Vus’Umuzi, the youngest of the three boxing brothers, held the SA, WBC International and WBO Africa bantamweight belts.
Peter retired in 2006 with a record of 29 wins with 19 KOs against 10 losses and a draw. His fight against Whiteboy, from the family of five professional fighters in Cape Town, was organised by promoter Branco Milenkovic.
Malinga had been in the twilight of his career for almost two years. The last time he wore boxing gloves was in 1999 when he won the IBO belt against Spencer McCracken in London.
He subsequently lost the belt in the boardrooms because he did not defend within the specified period of 90 days from the day he was crowned.
“I am grateful that my achievements are still remembered because most of yesteryear’s fighters are not recognised for the role they played in shaping up our boxing,” said Peter, who trains fighters alongside his brother at their father’s JD Malinga Gym in Katlehong.
Their charges include Mpumelelo Tshabalala, who holds the SA and WBO Inter-Continental junior-flyweight belts.
Tshabalala is rated No 13 by the WBO and No 28 by the IBO, while the WBC rates him No 21 in the junior-flyweight division.