PRETORIA - It was not the 'big bang' return to the ring Thomas Oosthuizen had wanted. But following a two and a half absence from the ring, what mattered was a victory.
And Tommy Gun got that via a majority decision win over the Congo's Youssouf Mwanza at the Metropolis on Saturday night.
Two judges gave him the eight-round Cruiserweight fight 80-74 and 78-74, while one scored it a 76-76 draw.
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It was a fight that could easily have gone either way and the former two-time world champion, who was in jail for ten months on a charge of grievous bodily harm was just delighted to “have got the W”.
Oosthuizen started sprightly and looked excited to be back in the ring as he peppered his opponent with the right jab, alternating the punishment between the head and the body to steal the round.
But while he landed a powerful body shot at the start of the second, Tommy Gun was on the back foot for most of the three minutes as the Congolese landed some solid shots.
The third and fourth round of the 5th Element Promotions main bout were pretty even, though the local boxer appeared to be slowing down while the visitor appeared to grow in confidence.
Oosthuizen just did not have the speed to follow up on the jab that set his opponents up for a beating. He was slow to take charge and always allowed Mwanza to take the initiative and the Congolese took the advantages whenever he pushed him against the ropes.
The last two rounds were full of action as both boxers tried to impress the judges, but none of them really dominating enough to be a clear winner.
It was thus not surprising then when the decision was announced that Oosthuizen shaded it by majority decision.
When they review the fight in the next week, Oosthuizen and his trainer Harry Ramogoadi will know that they have a lot of work to do before Tommy Gun is back to the sleek fighter he used to be.
@Tshiliboy