Smorgasbord of fighting delights ahead
FIGHT fans weekend.
Tonight’s boxing bonanza will see promoters Ayanda Matiti, Steve Kalakoda and Lebo Mahoko staging international championship tournaments in three provinces.
Matiti’s Xaba Promotions and Events – the East London-based outfit – will spread its wings with a nine-bout card at Kempton Park Indoor Centre in Ekurhuleni.
The tournament is staged in commemoration of Human Rights Day in South Africa which is historically linked with March 21 1960, and the events of Sharpeville.
On that day 69 people died and 180 were wounded when police fired on a peaceful crowd that had gathered in protest against the Pass laws. The day marked an affirmation by ordinary people, rising in unison to proclaim their rights.
Topping Matiti’s bill will be reigning IBO junior-bantamweight holder Gideon “Hardcore” Buthelezi from Boipatong which is the neighbouring township to Sharpeville.
Buthelezi will bid for the third defence of his belt against Mexican Angel “Puma” Aviles. Buthelezi won it against Mdantsanebased will be spoilt for choice this Makazole Tete at Orient Theatre in 2015.
The main supporting bout pits Alfonzo Tissen and Xolani Mvubu in a battle for a vacant ABU middleweight belt. Action will begin at 6pm.
Then at the South Coast Casino in Durban, Kalakoda Promotions will stage a showdown to be topped by a vacant ABU welterweight clash between Anelisa Gungqisa from the Eastern Cape and Cape Town-based Angolan Cristiano Ndombassy. Ruann “The Giant King” Visser – Gauteng-based heavyweight hopeful – will welcome Tanzanian Ashraf Suleiman for a vacant ABU belt.
Then at OR Tambo Hall in Khayelitsha, Mahoko’s Dream Team will stage a dual WBF championship tournament.
Mzuvukile “Old Bones” Magwaca will welcome Jason Canoy from the Philippines for a vacant bantamweight strap, while BSA 2016 female boxer of the year Bukiwe “Anaconda” Nonina will face Alesia Graf from Germany for the WBF female bantamweight strap.
WBF president Howard Goldberg announced that former IBF heavyweight champion Francois Botha and Uwe Hueck of Germany will have an eight-round exhibition bout.
Goldberg and his German counterpart Arnold Koester said the exhibition bout is part of the idea to raise funds.
“We will give out boxing equipment worth R120 000 to five gyms in Khayelitsha,” said Koster.