Boxing
Charles Khuzwayo|Published
Hip-hop artist Big Zulu is set to go toe-to-toe with television weather forecaster Dicksy Mdlalose in an exhibition boxing match on November 15 at Capital On The Park in Sandton.
The bout has sparked a frenzy on social media, with the Bergville-born rapper, whose real name is Siyabonga Nene, predicting a swift victory.
Big Zulu has vowed that even a minute will be too long before he knocks out Mdlalose, who hails from Vryheid.
However, the forecaster insists he has trained sufficiently for the fight, particularly after the rapper threatened to break his ribs.
Big Zulu has some experience in the boxing ring, having participated in two previous exhibition bouts. He defeated Brian “Tommy Kokstad” Dings in April 2023 but lost to Pietermaritzburg businessman Phumlani Njilo in the Impi: This Is War fight at the Olive Convention Centre in Durban in December that year.
Mdlalose, meanwhile, remains unfazed and has promised spectators a David-versus-Goliath outcome.
Celebrity exhibition boxing matches gained popularity in South Africa through rapper Cassper Nyovest, who took to the ring after growing tired of insults from YouTuber Slik Talk.
In their Fame vs Clout bout in December 2021, Cassper defeated Slik Talk by technical knockout (TKO) in the third round.
Cassper subsequently challenged actor and Afro-pop singer Anga “NaakMusiq” Makubalo to a fight at the Sun City Superbowl in the North West in April 2022. NaakMusiq won in the fifth round, while Cassper’s attempts to secure a rematch proved unsuccessful.
Cassper’s next opponent was rapper Priddy Ugly in Celeb City 2 at the SunBet Arena in Pretoria in October 2022. Cassper knocked him out in the first round.
Away from the boxing ring, Mdlalose has spent 15 years presenting television weather forecasts. He was inspired to pursue the career by the late Jabu Sithole, who worked for SABC1.
Mdlalose works on Izindaba Zethu, a daily bulletin produced by Newzroom Afrika for DStv channel 165.
Beyond broadcasting, he is also a reggae musician who has released more than three albums and received recognition in the Best Reggae Album category at the South African Traditional Music Achievement (SATMA) Awards.