Vuyani Bungu vs Danny Romero Jr

A South African champion equalled Brian Mitchell’s record of twelve successful world title defences on a night when many American observers expected him to lose. At the Atlantic City Convention Center on October 31, 1998, the IBF junior featherweight championship remained with Vuyani Bungu after he was awarded a majority decision over Danny Romero. The judges scored the contest 117,112, 115,114 and 114,114.

The contest formed part of the Halloween programme promoted by Cedric Kushner Productions and America Presents, alongside Naseem Hamed’s meeting with Wayne McCullough. Romero arrived from Albuquerque as the better known American fighter and the recognised puncher. He had been IBF flyweight champion and later held the IBF junior bantamweight title, but this was his first contest at junior featherweight. Bungu, the long-established champion from East London, South Africa, had defended his belt eleven times and was not widely known to the Atlantic City audience.

Romero began in the manner expected of a challenger who believed the champion could be overwhelmed. He came forward behind hard one, twos, added hooks to the body and tried to force Bungu into exchanges. For a short period, the plan worked. Bungu was cautious and gave ground, while Romero’s heavier punches made the early rounds difficult to score. The champion absorbed several solid shots without losing his shape, keeping his hands high and maintaining the compact defence that had carried him through a long title reign.

By the end of the second round, the pattern had begun to change. Romero was breathing heavily through his mouth, and Bungu had started to read the attacks. The champion did not attempt to match Romero punch for punch. He used the jab to interrupt the challenger’s advance, then sent the right hand over Romero’s lead. Bungu’s counters were shorter and more frequent, while Romero’s larger punches were harder but less consistent.

The middle rounds were close and produced the main argument of the contest. Romero continued to throw the more dramatic punches, particularly the right hand to the body and head, but Bungu was the busier man. In the fifth round, the challenger became noticeably less aggressive and spent too much time waiting at range. Bungu took advantage, snapping out the jab, stepping away from the return and scoring with the counter right. Romero still had moments when he committed to his attack, but he was no longer controlling the pace.

There were no knockdowns, and neither man was seriously hurt. Romero’s power was respected throughout, but Bungu’s defence and balance prevented the American from building sustained pressure. The South African champion was difficult to force into a mistake. He stood behind the jab, kept his feet beneath him and made Romero reset after nearly every attack. Romero, for his part, remained dangerous and had enough success with isolated power shots to keep several rounds within a single punch.

The eleventh round was one of Bungu’s better efforts. He was more active, placed his punches first and refused to allow Romero to close the distance without paying for it. In the twelfth, he finished strongly again, driving Romero back with the jab and landing cleanly as the challenger appeared to believe he had done enough earlier in the contest. Romero’s late resistance was limited, and Bungu’s activity made the closing round difficult to award to anyone else.

When the scores were announced, one judge had the bout even, while the other two gave Bungu narrow and wide victories. The 117,112 card, awarded by South African judge Lulama Mtya, was the most disputed, while the 115,114 score from New Jersey judge James Ashe better reflected the closeness of the contest. John Riley of New Mexico scored it 114,114. The result was officially a majority decision for Bungu, who improved his record to 36 wins and two defeats and retained the IBF title.

Romero’s record fell to 33 and three, and the defeat confirmed that his best work was being done at the lower weights. He had moved up two divisions to challenge a champion whose experience at 122 pounds proved decisive. Bungu had not overwhelmed him, but he had made the better adjustments, landed first more often and finished the stronger. The victory was a measured performance from a champion who had spent years defending his title away from the American spotlight.

Danny Romero was being built up as a major attraction in the US. I remember this as the night an unfashionable champion exposed the limitations of the heavily promoted puncher. Danny Romero had the reputation, the American backing and the harder-looking shots, but he was moving up two weight classes to meet Vuyani Bungu, a seasoned 122-pound champion who had defended the IBF title eleven times. Romero started fast, throwing big one, twos and body punches, but Bungu was never as easy to hit as the television build-up suggested.

Bungu’s jab, balance and counter right gradually took control. Romero’s best work came when he closed the distance and let his hands go, but he became too passive in the middle rounds and was breathing heavily before the fight was half over. Bungu kept scoring, kept his shape and finished strongly, which is why I had him winning. The 115,114 card was about right; 117,112 was too wide, and 114,114 was hard to defend. Romero was not disgraced, but the weight told. Bungu was the better technician, the more disciplined fighter and, on the night, the more complete champion.