Khayelitsha's Mlata claims prestigious WBC Youth Super Bantamweight title

It was always going to be an explosive fight between two highly rated boxers, both training out of Cape Town. But in the end it was the Khayelitsha pugilist, Khaya Mlata, who had his hand raised and brought home the coveted green belt of the WBC.

This is no ordinary belt. The WBC Youth Super Bantamweight title is a stepping stone only a few special fighters ever get to touch and even fewer go on to carve their names in boxing history. Mlata now joins that elite list.

He claimed the title with a hard-fought decision win over the dangerous Ardy Katompa', from the DRC, at Emperors Palace', in Johannesburg, over the weekend. It wasn’t an easy night. Mlata, known for his technical sharpness and ability to adjust mid-fight, faced a heavy hitter who carries knockout power in every punch. And in the very first round, he felt that power by getting dropped hard.

Reflecting on that knockdown moment, Mlata said, "That’s what woke me up. I knew I had to switch back into my style and take control of the fight." That early knockdown turned out to be a wake-up call. From there, Mlata tightened up, kept the jab busy, and executed a strategy that eventually saw him edge out Katompa in a split decision.

Winning the WBC Youth title puts Mlata in rare company. When you speak about champions who have held this belt, names like Saul "Canelo" Álvarez, Danny García and Julio César Chávez Jr. come up, fighters who all went on to become world champions and household names in the sport. Mlata is now the latest addition to that list.

For South Africa and especially the Western Cape this victory is massive. It’s been a long time since the region had someone lift a belt with global relevance and this green strap is one of the most recognised and respected in boxing. It’s more than a personal win but it’s national pride.

Mlata, now 9-0, remains unbeaten. Together with his coach Felix Venganayi they’ve been carefully building up to this moment. The title win was his third fight of the year and there’s no sign of slowing down.

“I’m very motivated,” Mlata said. 

"To see so many people showing me support also motivates me to push even further.”

He was referring to the hero’s welcome he received at Cape Town International Airport, with fans, friends and family there to celebrate his return. The celebrations didn’t stop there as he was paraded through the streets of Khayelitsha, embraced as a champion by the very community that raised him.

But Mlata isn’t resting on his laurels. He says he and his team are already lining up bigger things and the focus is on climbing the rankings and possibly pushing toward a world title shot.

The green belt he now holds is more than a symbol but a statement of his arrival to the world stage having long made his mark in the regional scene. It would be hard to not take note of his prowess after such a victory that no other South African can claim in their resume. The only other Youth world champ from SA is Siyabulela Hem who won the WBO Super Bantamweight earlier this year.