Tshifhiwa Munyai


Tshifhiwa Munyai 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.
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.

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. 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."

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. 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.”
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. Munyai next boxed in July 2009 and in a non-title fight defeated Galley Cudjoe with a first round stoppage in Johannesburg.
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. 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. 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.

Professional boxing record

No.ResultRecordOpponentTypeRound, timeDateLocationNotes
35Loss28–6–1 Rofhiwa MaemuTKO7 Dec 29, 2017 2Ten Hotel, Thohoyandou, South Africa
34Loss28–5–1 Azinga FuzileTKO3, 2:41Oct 21, 2017 Emperors Palace, Kempton Park, South Africa
33Win28–4–1 Samuel KapapuTKO3 Apr 28, 2017 Wembley Indoor Arena, Johannesburg, South Africa
32Win27–4–1 Oscar ChaukeKO10, 1:46Sep 12, 2015 Evoque Nightclub, Preston, England
31Win26–4–1 Reynaldo CajinaTKO9 Jun 13, 2015 Evoque Nightclub, Preston, England
30Win25–4–1 Giorgi GachechiladzeKO4, 2:36Apr 18, 2015 Sports Centre, Oldham, England
29Loss24–4–1 Paulus AmbundaSD12Dec 20, 2014 Helao Nafidi, Oshikango, Namibia
28Loss24–3–1 Scott QuiggTKO2, 1:56Apr 19, 2014 Manchester Arena, Manchester, EnglandFor WBA super-bantamweight title
27Win24–2–1 Phumzile MatyhilaTKO8 Sep 21, 2013 Indoor Centre, Mdantsane, South Africa
26Win23–2–1 Emmanuel QuarteyTKO11, 2:50Jun 1, 2013 Kati Kati Hall, Cathcart, South AfricaRetained WBA Pan African bantamweight title
25Win22–2–1 Oscar ChaukeUD12Dec 8, 2012 Orient Theatre, East London, South AfricaWon vacant WBA Pan African bantamweight title
24Win21–2–1 Danilo PenaUD12Mar 26, 2011 Emperors Palace, Kempton Park, South AfricaWon vacant IBO super-bantamweight title
23Loss20–2–1 Christian EsquivelUD12Aug 7, 2010 Arena México, Mexico City, MexicoFor vacant WBC Silver bantamweight title
22Win20–1–1 Prosper AnkrahKO3, 1:44Jul 28, 2010 Emperors Palace, Kempton Park, South Africa
21Win19–1–1 Daniel FerrerasUD12Feb 27, 2010 Emperors Palace, Kempton Park, South AfricaRetained WBA Inter-Continental bantamweight title
20Win18–1–1 Galley CudjoeTKO1, 2:28Jul 31, 2009 Nasrec Indoor Arena, Johannesburg, South Africa
19Win17–1–1 Bongani Mahlangu12Nov 14, 2008 Ride Hall, Parys, South AfricaRetained WBA Inter-Continental bantamweight title
18Loss16–1–1 Osumanu AkabaPTS8Jul 18, 2008 Goresbrook Leisure Centre, Dagenham, England
17Win16–0–1 Julio David Roque LerUD12Feb 23, 2008 Town Hall, Bloemfontein, South AfricaWon vacant WBA Inter-Continental bantamweight title
16Win15–0–1 Abdul TebazalwaPTS8Nov 30, 2007 Leisure Center, Newham, England
15Win14–0–1 Harry RamogoadiPTS8Jun 15, 2007 National Sports Centre, Crystal Palace, England
14Win13–0–1 Martin Power4, 3:00Jan 26, 2007 Goresbrook Leisure Centre, Dagenham, EnglandRetained Commonwealth bantamweight title
13Win12–0–1 Lee HaskinsTKO6, 2:56Oct 6, 2006 York Hall, London, EnglandRetained Commonwealth bantamweight title
12Win11–0–1 Martin PowerTKO9, 1:39Jun 6, 2006 York Hall, London, EnglandWon vacant Commonwealth bantamweight title
11Win10–0–1 Lungisa DlaminiUD6May 26, 2006 Nasrec Indoor Arena, Johannesburg, South Africa
10Win9–0–1 Nkosinathi TshinavhePTS10Feb 11, 2006 Multi-Purpose Centre, Makhado, South Africa
9Win8–0–1 Goodman MavusoTKO2 Oct 7, 2005 Nasrec Indoor Arena, Johannesburg, South Africa
8Win7–0–1 Nkosana VaalteinPTS6Jul 29, 2005 Nasrec Indoor Arena, Johannesburg, South Africa
7Win6–0–1 Clement SomersTKO1 Jul 3, 2005 Westgate Shopping Mall, Roodepoort, South Africa
6Win5–0–1 Kingsley NdouvhadaTKO1 May 27, 2005 Orlando Community Hall, Soweto, South Africa
5Draw4–0–1 Peter Ndou4Feb 4, 2005 Graceland Hotel Casino, Secunda, South Africa
4Win4–0 Fikile Mlonyeni3 Jul 17, 2004 Highgate Shopping Mall, Johannesburg, South Africa
3Win3–0 Tladi ModibeliUD4Jun 16, 2004 Sports Centre, Cullinan, South Africa
2Win2–0 Tladi Modibeli4Feb 7, 2004 Carnival City Casino, Brakpan, South Africa
1Win1–0 Zukile Toko2 Dec 6, 2003 Southern Suburbs Recreation Cent, Johannesburg, South Africa

Titles in boxing