Tshifhiwa Munyai

Tshifhiwa Munyai
Born	8 May 1985 (1985-05-08) (age 40) South Africa
Nationality	South African
Other names	Atomic Spider
Statistics
Weight(s)	Bantamweight Super-bantamweight Featherweight Lightweight
Stance	Orthodox
Boxing record
Total fights	41
Wins	34
Wins by KO	20
Losses	6
Draws	1

Tshifhiwa Munyai (born 8 May 1985) is a South African professional boxer who challenged for the WBA super-bantamweight title in 2014. He also held the Commonwealth bantamweight title from 2006 to 2007, and the IBO super-bantamweight title in 2011.

Professional career

Early 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. ^[1]

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. ^[2]

Commonwealth champion

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. ^[3] 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." ^[4]

WBA Inter-Continental champion

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 WBA Inter-continental bantamweight title in Bloemfontein and came out a unanimous points winner. ^[5] In July 2008 Munyai returned to the UK and to the Goresbrook Leisure Centre the scene of his second victory over Power. Returning featherweight he suffered his first defeat as a professional losing to 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.” ^[6]

Munyai returned to action back in South Africa in November 2008 and defeated fellow countryman Bongani Mahangu in a return to bantamweight. The fight was the first defence of Munyai's WBA intercontinental title and ended with a split decision win over Maglangu who at the time was also the WBA Pan African bantamweight title holder. ^[7] Munyai next boxed in July 2009 and in a non-title fight defeated Galley Cudjoe with a first round stoppage in Johannesburg. ^[8]

He made the second defence of his intercontinental title on 27 February 2010 defeating the Philippines Daniel Ferreras at the Kempton Park in Gauteng over 12 rounds. ^[9] On 28 July 2010 he stopped Ghanain Prosper Ankrah in the 3rd round of another non-title fight at the Emperor's Palace and then just a week later on 8 August 2010 found himself in the frame for a trip to Mexico City and a shot at the vacant WBC Silver bantamweight against Mexico's Cristian Esquivel. ^[10] Despite the shot at the title coming at short notice Munyai traveled to Mexico and went the full 12 round distance although ended up losing for the second time in his career.

IBO super-bantamweight champion

On 26 March 2011 Munyai fought Philippine boxer Danilo Pena at the Kempton Park winning on all the judges scorecards to win the vacant IBO super bantamweight championship. ^[11]

Professional boxing record

41 fights	34 wins	6 losses
By knockout	20	3
By decision	14	3
Draws	1

No.	Result	Record	Opponent	Type	Round, time	Date	Location	Notes
41	Win	34–6–1	Sanele Msimang	KO	4 (12)	Oct 31, 2021	Booysens Boxing Club, Johannesburg, South Africa	Retained South African lightweight title
40	Win	33–6–1	Khaya Busakwe	TKO	9 (12), 1:01	May 28, 2021	Sandton Convention Center, Johannesburg, South Africa	Retained South African lightweight title
39	Win	32–6–1	Siphosethu Mvula	UD	12	Mar 15, 2020	Blairgowrie Recreation Centre, Randburg, South Africa	Won vacant South African lightweight title
38	Win	31–6–1	Kabelo Bikitsha	PTS	8	Dec 27, 2019	2Ten Hotel, Thohoyandou, South Africa
37	Win	30–6–1	Osgood Kayuni	TKO	4 (8)	Mar 31, 2019	Blairgowrie Recreation Centre, Randburg, South Africa
36	Win	29–6–1	Crispin Moliati	KO	4 (8)	Dec 28, 2018	2Ten Hotel, Thohoyandou, South Africa
35	Loss	28–6–1	Rofhiwa Maemu	TKO	7 (10)	Dec 29, 2017	2Ten Hotel, Thohoyandou, South Africa
34	Loss	28–5–1	Azinga Fuzile	TKO	3 (10), 2:41	Oct 21, 2017	Emperors Palace, Kempton Park, South Africa
33	Win	28–4–1	Samuel Kapapu	TKO	3 (8)	Apr 28, 2017	Wembley Indoor Arena, Johannesburg, South Africa
32	Win	27–4–1	Oscar Chauke	KO	10 (12), 1:46	Sep 12, 2015	Evoque Nightclub, Preston, England
31	Win	26–4–1	Reynaldo Cajina	TKO	9 (10)	Jun 13, 2015	Evoque Nightclub, Preston, England
30	Win	25–4–1	Giorgi Gachechiladze	KO	4 (6), 2:36	Apr 18, 2015	Sports Centre, Oldham, England
29	Loss	24–4–1	Paulus Ambunda	SD	12	Dec 20, 2014	Helao Nafidi, Oshikango, Namibia
28	Loss	24–3–1	Scott Quigg	TKO	2 (12), 1:56	Apr 19, 2014	Manchester Arena, Manchester, England	For WBA super-bantamweight title
27	Win	24–2–1	Phumzile Matyhila	TKO	8 (10)	Sep 21, 2013	Indoor Centre, Mdantsane, South Africa
26	Win	23–2–1	Emmanuel Quartey	TKO	11 (12), 2:50	Jun 1, 2013	Kati Kati Hall, Cathcart, South Africa	Retained WBA Pan African bantamweight title
25	Win	22–2–1	Oscar Chauke	UD	12	Dec 8, 2012	Orient Theatre, East London, South Africa	Won vacant WBA Pan African bantamweight title
24	Win	21–2–1	Danilo Pena	UD	12	Mar 26, 2011	Emperors Palace, Kempton Park, South Africa	Won vacant IBO super-bantamweight title
23	Loss	20–2–1	Christian Esquivel	UD	12	Aug 7, 2010	Arena México, Mexico City, Mexico	For vacant WBC Silver bantamweight title
22	Win	20–1–1	Prosper Ankrah	KO	3 (10), 1:44	Jul 28, 2010	Emperors Palace, Kempton Park, South Africa
21	Win	19–1–1	Daniel Ferreras	UD	12	Feb 27, 2010	Emperors Palace, Kempton Park, South Africa	Retained WBA Inter-Continental bantamweight title
20	Win	18–1–1	Galley Cudjoe	TKO	1 (10), 2:28	Jul 31, 2009	Nasrec Indoor Arena, Johannesburg, South Africa
19	Win	17–1–1	Bongani Mahlangu	SD	12	Nov 14, 2008	Ride Hall, Parys, South Africa	Retained WBA Inter-Continental bantamweight title
18	Loss	16–1–1	Osumanu Akaba	PTS	8	Jul 18, 2008	Goresbrook Leisure Centre, Dagenham, England
17	Win	16–0–1	Julio David Roque Ler	UD	12	Feb 23, 2008	Town Hall, Bloemfontein, South Africa	Won vacant WBA Inter-Continental bantamweight title
16	Win	15–0–1	Abdul Tebazalwa	PTS	8	Nov 30, 2007	Leisure Center, Newham, England
15	Win	14–0–1	Harry Ramogoadi	PTS	8	Jun 15, 2007	National Sports Centre, Crystal Palace, England
14	Win	13–0–1	Martin Power	RTD	4 (12), 3:00	Jan 26, 2007	Goresbrook Leisure Centre, Dagenham, England	Retained Commonwealth bantamweight title
13	Win	12–0–1	Lee Haskins	TKO	6 (12), 2:56	Oct 6, 2006	York Hall, London, England	Retained Commonwealth bantamweight title
12	Win	11–0–1	Martin Power	TKO	9 (12), 1:39	Jun 6, 2006	York Hall, London, England	Won vacant Commonwealth bantamweight title
11	Win	10–0–1	Lungisa Dlamini	UD	6	May 26, 2006	Nasrec Indoor Arena, Johannesburg, South Africa
10	Win	9–0–1	Nkosinathi Tshinavhe	PTS	10	Feb 11, 2006	Multi-Purpose Centre, Makhado, South Africa	Won vacant Limpopo bantamweight title
9	Win	8–0–1	Goodman Mavuso	TKO	2 (6)	Oct 7, 2005	Nasrec Indoor Arena, Johannesburg, South Africa
8	Win	7–0–1	Nkosana Vaaltein	PTS	6	Jul 29, 2005	Nasrec Indoor Arena, Johannesburg, South Africa
7	Win	6–0–1	Clement Somers	TKO	1 (6)	Jul 3, 2005	Westgate Shopping Mall, Roodepoort, South Africa
6	Win	5–0–1	Kingsley Ndouvhada	TKO	1 (6)	May 27, 2005	Orlando Community Hall, Soweto, South Africa
5	Draw	4–0–1	Peter Ndou	PTS	4	Feb 4, 2005	Graceland Hotel Casino, Secunda, South Africa
4	Win	4–0	Fikile Mlonyeni	KO	3 (4)	Jul 17, 2004	Highgate Shopping Mall, Johannesburg, South Africa
3	Win	3–0	Tladi Modibeli	UD	4	Jun 16, 2004	Sports Centre, Cullinan, South Africa
2	Win	2–0	Tladi Modibeli	UD	4	Feb 7, 2004	Carnival City Casino, Brakpan, South Africa
1	Win	1–0	Zukile Toko	TKO	2 (4)	Dec 6, 2003	Southern Suburbs Recreation Cent, Johannesburg, South Africa

Titles in boxing

• Commonwealth Bantamweight title
• WBA Inter-Continental Bantamweight title
• WBA Pan African Bantamweight title

References

1. "Boxrec | Tshifhiwa Munyai professional record". Archived from the original on 7 October 2012. Retrieved 28 September 2008.
2. BBC Sport | Power stopped in Commonwealth bid ^{[ permanent dead link ]}
3. BBC Sport | Marvellous Munyai crushes Haskins
4. BBC Sport | Munyai halts Power for a second time ^{[ permanent dead link ]}
5. "Britishboxing.net | Munyai vs Roque Ler". Archived from the original on 3 December 2008. Retrieved 28 September 2008.
6. "Britishboxing.net | Accra's golden boy in London". Archived from the original on 23 November 2008. Retrieved 28 September 2008.
7. "Boxrec | Bongani Mahangu record". Archived from the original on 8 October 2012. Retrieved 28 November 2008.
8. "Supersport.co | Classy Fana stops Seroka in six - undercard report of Munyai vs. Cudjoe". Archived from the original on 21 July 2011. Retrieved 9 August 2009.
9. Sowetan | Munyai gets WBA title shot ^{[ permanent dead link ]}
10. "Times Live | Barely rested Spider heads to Mexico". Archived from the original on 10 August 2010. Retrieved 6 August 2010.
11. "Super sport.com | great night for SA boxers". Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 2 April 2011.