03.11.05 – Interview by Ike Enwereuzor: Ike: How long have you been preparing for this fight with Rafael Marquez? Mabusa: About 3 to 4 months. We have done all our work it’s time now to display it in the ring, this Saturday..
Ike: How disappointed were you when Marquez pulled out October 1, before the fight was rescheduled for November 5?
Mabusa: We were very disappointed but there was nothing we could do about that, the guy was sick.
Ike: How hungry are you for this fight ?
Mabusa: I consider hungry as an underestimate word to use, I’m striving badly. I’m confident, I want this that belt to take it back to South Africa.
Ike: Your impression of Rafael Marquez?
Mabusa: He’s a good fighter, a good champion, strong and has been around. His records speaks for itself but I can tell you he’s not invisible. The fight is power vs skills.
Ike: Your impression of Hall of Famer, Azumah Nelson?
Mabusa: He’s our African Boxing legend.
Ike: Please, tell us what you know about Takalani Ndlovu who fight in New York November 4 against Armando Guerrero?
Mabusa: I know Takalani since amateurs. We were together in amateurs. He’s a good boxer I know he’ll win his fight against Guerrero for the IBO. All these belts belong to South Africa.
Ike: What do you know about these former champions from your Country? Vuyani Bungu, Lehlo Ledwaba, Mbulelo Botile? Jacob Matlala?
Mabusa: Bungu was boxing even before I started to Box. I know him personally for a long time.
He was a great champion I looked upto. He was still boxing even I was I won my IBO title.
Ledwaba is my homeboy. I know him very well too, good champion too. Botile was a very good champion too. Jake Matlala is a wonderful man known and very popular around the Country and the world. Great champion he was.
Ike: Describe your fight with Jose Sanjumelo? Eric Barcelona, Cruz Carbajal, Noel Wilders?
Mabusa: That was when I won the IBO belt, It was a good experience for me. Jose Sanjumelo was my toughest fight. He was a tough southpaw who came to defend his IBO title. He was very vicious, that fight was a war but I stopped him in round 6.
Mabusa: Eric was another tough fighter from Philippines who gave me a running. I beat him by 12 rounds unanimious decision.
Mabusa: Cruz was also a rough fighter, a former world champion. So, they can’t ask who did Silence Mabausa fought? I have been there with tough fighters. We fought for the elimination and I beat him by decision also.
Mabusa: Noel Wilders was a southpaw from UK came to South Africa to fight me. He was a good boxer who came to win but for me it was like a preparation for a world championship. I had to demolish him fast.
Ike: Lets go back to your amateur for a minute. How many amateur fights did you have?
Mabusa: I started amateur in 1991 and had over 400 fights.
Ike: What titles did you win as an amateur?
Mabusa: I was a six-time South African champion. I won the silver medal in the commonwealth games 1998. I won a silver at the All Africa games in 1994 and won gold in 1997.
Ike: What do you want to tell your fans about this upcoming fight?
Mabusa: I want my fans in South Africa to know that I’m going to do my best to bring this belt home and I want to thank all my other fans around the world for all their supports. This fight with Rafael Marquez is a fight of my life. This is what every boxer’s want. This is a great opportunity to bring the belt back to South Africa where it belongs. All the work is been done know it’s time to execute.
Questions? Comments? Suggestions? Email: Jacboxingfans@hotmail.com