Traditional healers have told deposed SA junior-bantamweight champion Themba Joyi, suffering from a mystery illness, that he was cursed with muti. The fighter also claims he received an anonymous call telling him child's urine would cure his condition.
Joyi was stopped by challenger Unathi Gqokoma in the 10th round of their bout in East London on Sunday last weekend.
Joyi told the Daily Dispatch that x-rays taken at Cecilia Makiwane Hospital in Mdantsane did not show what caused his whole left side to go lame.
His trainer, Boyboy Mpulampula, and promoter Siphatho Handi, on seeing the fighter struggling to walk and speak, took him to a traditional healer for help.
The traditional healer suggested that muti could have been used against Joyi.
The suggestion has been vehemently denied in the Gqokoma camp, with promoter Mzimasi Mnguni and cornerman Sihle Mnguni both slamming the allegations.
Joyi told the Dispatch exclusively: “The left side of my body is numb, though x-rays have not picked up anything wrong . But two traditional healers told me it’s because muti was used during the fight.
“Another traditional healer told me I was lucky to survive until round 10. He says he watched the fight and could see that something was used against me. It was difficult for me to even open my eyes.
“I received a call from a private number and the person on the other end of the phone asked me to forgive him for what happened during the fight. I was shocked. I didn’ t recognise the voice. The caller told me to take child’s urine and rub it in from my waist down if I wanted to be okay.”
Handi added: “We don’t really know what happened except that it all started inside the ring. Themba struggled to walk out of the ring and things became worse in the dressing-room.”
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