Name: Thomas Mashaba Career Record: click Alias: Merciless Nationality: South Africa Birthplace: Carltonville, South Africa Residence: Temba, South Africa Stance: Orthodox Height: 5' 6"

Professional Career

Ranked The Ring #9 at 126 pounds...

IBO featherweight champion, five successful defenses...

Former IBO jr. featherweight champion...

Former South African jr. featherweight champion, two successful defenses...

At the age of 29, Thomas is an eight-year pro. A contender at 126 pounds, he has won 10 fights in a row since his last loss in February, 2003.

He is coming off his career-best win in his last fight in November, 2007 - a spectacular knockout against former IBF featherweight world champion Eric Aiken. It was an exciting, give-and-take battle – Thomas was knocked down in the sixth round but came back and knocked Aiken out cold in the ninth.

After the fight, Boxing News reported, “Thomas Mashaba was commanding in his devastating ninth round stoppage of highly-rated former IBF champion Eric Aiken.... Mashaba served notice that he can be accepted within the top echelons of the featherweight division....”

Dan Rafael wrote on ESPN.com, “Mashaba, a legitimate contender from South Africa, survived a sixth-round knockdown and rallied to stop Aiken, a former titleholder, with a left hook. Mashaba won his 10th in a row, the last five of which have come against solid opposition.”

Thomas also has wins against former world champions Yober Ortega (W12) and Vuyani Bungu (W12).

Key Fights - 2007 – 5TH IBO F TITLE DEFENSE - in his last fight on 11-12-07 in Kempton Park, SA, he TKO’d former IBF featherweight world champion Eric Aiken (16-5-1): the fight was co-featured at Emperors Palace Casino; Thomas started fast and built a lead on the scorecards – after five rounds, he led by scores of 50-46, 49-46, 49-46; Aiken scored a knockdown and had Thomas hurt badly in the 6th round, but Thomas came back and swept the 7th round on all three scorecards, then swept the 8th, as well, which two judges scored 10-8 for him; Thomas scored a knockdown with a left hook in the 9th round that dropped Aiken - out cold - and the referee stopped the fight without a count at 1:51; after eight rounds, Thomas led by scores of 78-74, 77-73, 77-73...

2006 – 4TH IBO F TITLE DEFENSE - on 12-15-06 in Kimberly, SA, he TKO’d lefthanded three-time world title challenger Oscar Leon (27-5): Thomas scored a knockdown with a right uppercut late in the 2nd round; Thomas scored another knockdown with another right uppercut in the 3rd, and Leon was counted out at 1:36...

3RD IBO F TITLE DEFENSE - on 7-21-06 in Merafong, SA, he won a 12 round unanimous decision against South American featherweight champion Juan Cabrera (50-12-1): it was a fast-paced, exciting fight and the momentum shifted back and forth; Cabrera was cut over both of his eyes in the 2nd round, but constantly pressed forward; Thomas generally outworked him and built a lead on the scorecards – after six rounds, the fight was scored 58-57, 58-56, 58-58; Cabrera rallied in the middle rounds, but Thomas finished the fight strongly – he won the 9th and 10th on two scorecards, swept the 11th on all three, and the 12th round was even – one judge scored for Thomas, one for Cabrera, and one even – for final scores of 118-112, 117-115, 115-113...

2ND IBO F TITLE DEFENSE - on 3-24-06 in Mpumalanga, SA, he won a 12 round unanimous decision against 40 year-old lefthanded former WBA super bantamweight world champion Yober Ortega (35-5-3): Thomas dominated most of the fight; he started fast and staggered Ortega in the early rounds, but Ortega rallied in the middle rounds; Ortega was cut over his right eye by a clash of heads in the 8th round; scored 119-110, 118-111, 118-112...

2005 – 1ST IBO F TITLE DEFENSE - on 6-25-05 in East London, SA, he won a 12 round unanimous decision against 38 year-old former IBF jr. featherweight world champion Vuyani Bungu (39-4): scored 117-111, 116-113, 116-114...

2004 – WON IBO JF TITLE - on 5-22-04 in Carnival City, SA, he TKO’d previously undefeated lefthanded prospect Zolani Marali (12-0): Thomas scored a knockdown late in the 8th round; Marali did not continue after the round...

2ND SOUTH AFRICAN JF TITLE DEFENSE - on 4-24-04 in Sun City, SA, he won a 12 round unanimous decision against Sprinkman Kohongoane (23-4-2)...

2003 – 1ST SOUTH AFRICAN JF TITLE DEFENSE - on 12-13-03 in Witbank, SA, he won by disqualification against Bonani Hlwatika (14-2-1): in the 11th round...

WON VACANT SOUTH AFRICAN JF TITLE – on 9-30-03 in Temba, SA, he TKO’d Jeffrey Mathebula (13-0-1): in the 6th round...

On 4-6-03 in Johannesburg, SA, he knocked out Oupa Lubisi (13-4-1): in the 3rd round...

On 2-11-03 in Bangkok, THAI, he lost a 12 roiund split decision against Sod Lookongyangtoy (9-0)...

2002 - on 7-26-02 in Vanderbijlpark, SA, he knocked out Trevor Ross (10-7-2): in the 4th round...

On 5-31-02 in Secunda, SA, he knocked out Frank Gama (8-4): in the 5th round...

On 3-6-02 in Johannesburg he TKO’d Charles Mailula (15-4-2): in the 3rd round...

2001 - on 11-7-01 in Kempton Park he TKO’d Vuyisile Tinga (16-7-4): in the 1st round...

On 6-24-01 in Secunda he won a 6 round decision against previously undefeated Bonani Hlwatika (9-0)...

On 2-24-01 in Thohoyandou, SA, he lost a 6 round decision against Gabriel Phakula (5-1)...

On 2-18-01 in Johannesburg he fought to a 6 round draw against Harry Ramagoadi (6-2-1)...

He debuted at the age of ? on 3-12-99...

AMATEUR, PERSONAL BACKGROUND

Born in Carltonville, South Africa, Thomas reportedly had 76 amateur fights (72-4)...a former locomotive driver, he now boxes fulltime...he is married and has one son...

STRENGTHS: Has good skills and movement...has good punching power, a good body puncher...

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE: 9 years...26 fights...157 total rounds...
AVERAGE LENGTH OF BOUTS: 6 rounds...
KNOCKOUT PERCENTAGE: 60 %...
DISTANCE FIGHTS: 12 rounds – 5 (4-1)...11 rounds – 1 (1-0)...