Mbenge loses IBO belt

South Africa's Thulani Mbenge lost his IBO welterweight belt on a hometown 12-round unanimous points decision against Germany's Sebastian Formella at the CU Arena in Hamburg, on Saturday night.Judges Jerome Lodes scored it 114-113, Matteo Montella 116-112 and Roark Young 115-112.Even though Mbenge (66kg) who was making the second defence of his belt was warned for low blows on four occasions and deducted a point by referee Leszek Jankowiak in the ninth round, he did enough as he pressed forward throughout the fight against the smaller Formella (66.50kg) to take the decision.It was a confident Mbenge who came out at the first bell as he backed up Montella who fought off the back foot through the first six rounds, with the South African landing some stinging combinations to the head and body.However, throughout the fight, Mbenge tended to throw wild swinging right-hand punches from too far out which Formella was able to duck under with ease.Formella was showing signs of tiring badly in the 11th round but showed a lot of courage to come back and take the fight to Mbenge in the last round.The wild missing punches possibly influenced the judges but there was no doubt that most of the scoring punches came from the South African in a fight that became untidy with both fighters pushing and leaning on at times. NAMPA/ANA

Mbenge loses IBO belt

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Namibian Sun 2026-07-24

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Mbenge loses IBO belt

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Namibian Sun 2026-07-24

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