Jeffrey Mathebula

Jeffrey Tutu Mathebula
Born	Jeffrey Mathebula (1979-06-22) 22 June 1979 (age 45) Malamulele, South Africa
Nationality	South African
Other names	Mongoose[2]
Statistics
Weight(s)	Super Bantamweight
Height	5 ft 10 in (178 cm)[1]
Stance	Orthodox
Boxing record
Total fights	34
Wins	27
Wins by KO	14
Losses	5
Draws	2

Jeffrey Mathebula (born 22 June 1979) is a South African professional boxer who competed from 2001 to 2013. He held the IBF junior featherweight title in 2012.

Amateur career

Mathebula competed for his native country at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney in the Men's Featherweight division, where he defeated Noureddine Madjhoud in the first round and lost to Bekzat Sattarkhanov in the second round.^[1] He finished his amateur career with a record of 101–4.^[3]

Professional career

Mathebula made his professional debut on 17 February 2001, and has been managed and trained by Nick Durandt and promoted by Branco Sports Promotions.^[2] He fought to a draw with Malcolm Klassen in a six-round bout in Temba, North West in September 2004.^[4]

Mathebula defeated Julio Zarate via a unanimous decision with the scores of 117–109 twice and 118–109 in an IBF super bantamweight title eliminator in Temba on 29 August 2008, after knocking him down twice in the tenth-round. He was supposed to challenge the then IBF super bantamweight champion Steve Molitor,^[4][5] but Molitor lost to Celestino Caballero. Hence, Mathebula fought against Caballero for the WBA Super World and IBF World super bantamweight title. However, he lost his first world title shot against Caballero via a split decision at the Roberto Duran Arena in Panama on 30 April 2009.^[2][6]

After losing to Takalani Ndlovu via a split decision in an IBF junior featherweight title eliminator in Brakpan, Gauteng in September 2010,^[2] Mathebula defeated Ndlovu via a split decision in their rematch in Brakpan to be crowned the IBF junior featherweight champion.^[7] It was the SABC-televised first boxing event after one year interruption.^[8]

See also: Sport in South Africa § Boxing

Mathebula v. Donaire

In one of the more defining and memorable fights, Mathebula fought the hard-hitting, WBO Super Bantamweight Champion Nonito Donaire (29–1 18 KO's). Donaire is rated by The Ring as the number five pound-for-pound boxer in the world. It was a unification fight for IBF and WBO Super Bantamweight belts. The bout was Live on HBO Boxing After Dark on 7 July 2012 at The Home Depot Center in Carson, California. Donaire defeated Methebula by unanimous decision. Donaire knocked Mathebula down in round four, breaking his jaw in two places.^[9][10]

Professional boxing record

34 fights	27 wins	5 losses
By knockout	14	2
By decision	13	3
Draws	2

No.	Result	Record	Opponent	Type	Round, time	Date	Location	Notes
34	Loss	27–5–2	Kiko Martínez	KO	9 (12), 2:05	21 Dec 2013	Pabellón Esperanza Lag, Elche, Spain	For IBF super bantamweight title
33	Win	27–4–2	Takalani Ndlovu	UD	12	23 Mar 2013	Carnival City Casino, Brakpan, South Africa
32	Loss	26–4–2	Nonito Donaire	UD	12	7 Jul 2012	Home Depot Center, Carson, California, U.S.	Lost IBF super bantamweight title; For WBO super bantamweight title
31	Win	26–3–2	Takalani Ndlovu	SD	12	24 Mar 2012	Carnival City Casino, Brakpan, South Africa	Won IBF super bantamweight title
30	Win	25–3–2	Oscar Chauke	SD	12	11 Jun 2011	Carnival City, Brakpan, South Africa
29	Win	24–3–2	Siviwe Hasheni	TKO	2(8)	30 Oct 2010	Mafikeng University Hall, Mafikeng, South Africa
28	Loss	23–3–2	Takalani Ndlovu	SD	12	1 Sep 2010	Carnival City, Brakpan, South Africa
27	Win	23–2–2	Rashid Ally	KO	4 (6)	20 Nov 2009	Wembley Arena, Johannesburg, South Africa
26	Loss	22–2–2	Celestino Caballero	SD	12	30 Apr 2009	Arena Roberto Duran, Panama City, Panama	For WBA (Super) and IBF super bantamweight title
25	Win	22–1–2	Julio Zarate	UD	12	29 Aug 2008	Carousel Hotel & Casino, Temba, South Africa
24	Win	21–1–2	Yoshinori Miyata	TKO	8(12)	22 Feb 2008	Carousel Hotel & Casino, Temba, South Africa	Retained WBC International featherweight title
23	Win	20–1–2	Themba Tshicila	RTD	11 (12), 3:00	29 Jun 2007	Orient Theatre, East London, South Africa	Retained WBC International featherweight title
22	Win	19–1–2	Mkhuseli Kondile	KO	2(10)	8 Dec 2006	Nasrec Indoor Arena, Johannesburg, South Africa
21	Win	18–1–2	Aaron Melgarejo	UD	12	30 Jun 2006	Nasrec Indoor Arena, Johannesburg, South Africa	Retained WBC International featherweight title
20	Win	17–1–2	Osumanu Akaba	UD	12	30 Sep 2005	Graceland Hotel Casino, Secunda, South Africa	Won WBC International featherweight title
19	Win	16–1–2	Oscar Chauke	PTS	6	15 Apr 2005	Sunnypark Shopping Centre, Pretoria, South Africa
18	Draw	15–1–2	Malcolm Klassen	PTS	6	28 Sep 2004	Carousel Hotel & Casino, Temba, South Africa
17	Win	15–1–1	Elias Skhosana	PTS	6	23 Jul 2004	Carousel Hotel & Casino, Temba, South Africa
16	Win	14–1–1	Sonwabo Matayi	PTS	6	24 Feb 2004	Carousel Casino, Hammanskraal, South Africa
15	Loss	13–1–1	Thomas Mashaba	TKO	6(12)	30 Sep 2003	Carousel Casino, Hammanskraal, South Africa	For vacant South African super bantamweight title
14	Win	13–0–1	Oupa Lubisi	TKO	3 (12)	31 May 2003	Carousel Casino, Hammanskraal, South Africa
13	Win	12–0–1	Bonani Hlwatika	UD	12	15 Feb 2003	Meropa Sun Casino, Polokwane, South Africa	Won IBO Inter-Continental super bantamweight title
12	Win	11–0–1	Petros Motsoahole	KO	1 (6)	22 Nov 2002	Portuguese Hall, Johannesburg, South Africa
11	Win	10–0–1	Martin Mnyandu	PTS	6	5 Oct 2002	Wembley Indoor Arena, Johannesburg, South Africa
10	Draw	9–0–1	Bonani Hlwatika	PTS	6	27 Aug 2002	Carousel Casino, Hammanskraal, South Africa
9	Win	9–0	Wladimir Borov	PTS	6	15 May 2002	Carnival City, Brakpan, South Africa
8	Win	8–0	Ebenezer Tumane	TKO	3 (6)	27 Mar 2002	Carousel Casino, Hammanskraal, South Africa
7	Win	7–0	Molefe Benzane	TKO	4 (8)	6 Feb 2002	Carousel Casino, Hammanskraal, South Africa
6	Win	6–0	Koos Sibiya	KO	2 (6)	24 Oct 2001	Carousel Casino, Hammanskraal, South Africa
5	Win	5–0	Dumisani Zulu	TKO	1 (6)	19 Sep 2001	Ubuntu Kraal Resort, Soweto, South Africa
4	Win	4–0	Takatso Hlahane	PTS	4	22 Aug 2001	Carousel Casino, Hammanskraal, South Africa
3	Win	3–0	Tshumbedzo Tshishonge	KO	3 (4)	2 Jun 2001	Carnival City, Brakpan, South Africa
2	Win	2–0	Goodman Mavuso	TKO	2 (4)	9 May 2001	Carnival City, Brakpan, South Africa
1	Win	1–0	Tally Disoloane	KO	3 (4)	17 Feb 2001	Carnival City, Brakpan, South Africa

References

1. "Jeffrey Mathebula Biography and Olympic Results". Sports-Reference.com. Archived from the original on 11 November 2012. Retrieved 25 March 2012.
2. Anson Wainwright (24 May 2011). "Q & A with Jeffrey "The Mongoose" Mathebula". 15rounds.com. Retrieved 15 March 2012.
3. "Donaire & Rios Headline July 7th Card". Top Rank. 1 June 2012. Archived from the original on 4 June 2012. Retrieved 1 June 2012.
4. Dan Rafael (1 September 2008). "Valuev gets past Ruiz; Calderon outfoxes Cazares for technical decision". ESPN. Retrieved 31 May 2012.
5. "Easy for Klassen and Fana". SuperSport. 28 August 2008. Retrieved 31 May 2012.^{[permanent dead link‍]}
6. Robert Coster (1 May 2009). "Caballero retains title!". Fightnews.com. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 15 March 2012.
7. SAPA (25 March 2012). "Mathebula dethrones Ndlovu". The Post. Retrieved 25 March 2012.
8. Ramatsiyi Moholoa (22 March 2012). "SABC throws boxing a lifeline". The Sowetan. Retrieved 22 March 2012.
9. Maloney L. Samaco (7 July 2012). "Who is Jeffrey Mathebula?". PhilBoxing.com. Retrieved 18 October 2013.
10. Dan Rafael (25 July 2012). "Jeffrey Mathebula has jaw surgery". ESPN. Retrieved 18 October 2013.

External links

• Boxing record for Jeffrey Mathebula from BoxRec (registration required)

Preceded by Takalani Ndlovu

IBF Junior Featherweight Champion 24 March 2012 – 7 July 2012

Succeeded by Nonito Donaire