HAWK MAKEPULA

updated February 20, 2007

At the age of 33, Masibulele is a 10-year pro. A former WBO jr. flyweight world champion, he won the title in February, 2000, but vacated the title to move up in weight and challenge for the IBF flyweight world title in November, 2000.

Key Fights - 2006 - 2ND WBC INTERNATIONAL S-FL DEFENSE - in his last fight on 3-31-06 in Johannesburg, SA, he won a 12 round unanimous decision against lefthander Christophe Rodrigues (13-12-2): the bout was part of the "Parade of Champions" promotion at Wembley Arena; Masibulele scored a knockdown in the 1st round, and dominated the entire fight; scored 119-108 on all three scorecards...

1ST WBC INTERNATIONAL S-FL DEFENSE - on 2-10-06 in Secunda, SA, he knocked out lefthander Jun Talape (10-3): the fight headlined at Graceland Casino; Masibulele was cut over his left eye by a clash of heads in the early rounds, but dominated the entire fight; he scored a knockdown with a left hook to the body in the 6th round, and Talape was counted out at 1:41; after the fight, Masibulele said, "He's young and clever, but I knew I'd catch him. I saw that he didn't like the body blows, so decided I would focus on it and punish the body. I knew he'd fall in the later rounds."...

2005 - on 6-24-05 in East London, SA, he won a 10 round unanimous decision against Andrey Kostin (16-4): Masibulele dominated the entire fight, but was troubled by leg cramps in the late rounds; scored 100-90, 100-94, 97-93...

WON WBC INTERNATIONAL S-FL TITLE - on 2-25-05 in East London he won a 12 round unanimous decision against Rollie Lunas (18-4): the bout was one of the featured fights at the Orient Theater; Lunas rocked Masibulele with a couple of right hands in the 5th round and cut him on his left temple, but Masibulele dominated the rest of the fight and rocked Lunas a number of times; scored 119-112, 119-111, 118-111...

2004 - on 11-19-04 in Hammanskraal, SA, he knocked out Sergio Santillan (19-3-3): Masibulele dominated the fight, and scored a knockdown in the 5th round; he scored another knockdown with a right hand in the 10th round, and Santillan was counted out at 2:59... On 7-23-04 in Hammanskraal he knocked out Zamumzi Xola (15-6-4): at 1:06 of the 6th round...

On 4-24-04 in East London he TKO'd Lunga Ntontela (10-1): at 2:14 of the 3rd round...

On 3-12-04 in Hammanskraal he TKO'd Johannes Maisa (17-4): at 0:47 of the 4th round...

2003 - on 10-3-03 in Brakpan, SA, he was TKO'd in the rematch against lefthander Mzukisi Sikali (27-6-2): Sikali dominated the fight and stopped Masibulele at 2:50 of the 4th round; after three rounds, Sikali led by scores of 30-27, 30-27, 29-28...

2002 - on 9-14-02 in Brakpan he lost a 12 round majority decision against lefthander Mzukisi Sikali (26-6-2): scored 116-112, 116-112, 114-114...

2001 - on 8-22-01 in Hammanskraal he won a 10 round unanimous decision against Roy Doliguez (8-1-1): scored 99-90, 99-91, 97-92...

2000 - IBF FL WORLD TITLE CHALLENGE - on 11-10-00 in Las Vegas, NV, he lost a 12 round majority decision against defending champion Irene Pacheco (26-0): scored 118-110, 117-111, 114-114...

On 5-24-00 in Carnival City, SA, he won a 12 round unanimous decision against Marcos Obregon (11-3-2): Masibulele was more skilled and consistently landed the sharper punches, but Obregon , of Argentina, gave a determined effort; there were reports that Masibulele had trouble making weight, and he looked sluggish throughout the fight and suffered from leg cramps in the final round; but he dominated the scorecards - 240-223, 240-225, 240-216, a shutout on the 20-point must system used by the WBU...

WON VACANT WBO J-FL WORLD TITLE - on 2-19-00 in Brakpan, SA, he won a controversial 12 round unanimous decision against former WBO jr. flyweight and flyweight world champion "Baby" Jake Matlala (50-11-1): Masibulele boxed well in the early rounds, but brawled in the second half of the fight and Matlala rallied; many observers thought Matlala deserved to win, and the crowd booed the announcement of the decision; scored 117-112, 118-112, 117-114...

1999 - on 8-28-99 in Hammanskraal, SA, he knocked out Jose Laureano (16-4-1): at 2:46 of the 1st round... On 2-27-99 in Bethnal Green, ENG, he won a 12 round unanimous decision against Lorenzo Trejo (12-6): Masibulele boxed effectively, and dominated the fight with his sharper punches and busier pace; scored 120-107, 120-108, 120-108...

1998 - on 9-22-98 in New York, NY, he won a 4 round technical decision against former WBO strawweight world champion Rafael Torres (15-7): Masibulele dominated the fight, hurt Torres with a steady body attack, and Torres went down in the 4th round claiming a low blow; an announcment was made that he had five minutes to recover, but after about a minute Torres decided he did not want to continue and the fight went to the scorecards; scored 40-36 on all three scorecards...

He debuted at the age of 23 on 9-10-96...

AMATEUR BACKGROUND: Masibulele reportedly started boxing at the age of seven and had an amateur record of 178-10...he won the South African, Border, Eastern Cape, Cape, and All-Africa amateur titles...Masibulele's father boxed as an amateur...Masibulele is a avid soccer fan, and played the game for seven years...

STRENGTHS: Has good skills and mobility...a sharp, accurate puncher...a good body puncher...keeps a fast pace in the ring...

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE: 10 years...31 fights...193 total rounds...24 world championship rounds...

AVERAGE LENGTH OF BOUTS: 6.2 rounds...

KNOCKOUT PERCENTAGE: 58 %...

DISTANCE FIGHTS: 12 rounds - 7 (5-2)...10 rounds - 3 (3-0)...