Trainer feels his man’s got it all
Boxer Jabulani Makhense will be the next big thing to come out of Limpopo‚ says trainer Sebastiaan Rothmann.
Undefeated Makhense takes on Gift Bholo for the vacant Gauteng junior-welterweight title in the main bout of a development tournament at Emperors Palace on Sunday afternoon.
Rothmann‚ a former top cruiserweight who nearly won one of the major world titles‚ is not given to the hyperbole so frequently flung around in boxing. So it’s probably worth listening when he talks‚ even if it’s about a boxer he trains.
“There’s something special in this guy‚” Rothmann said at a press conference on Tuesday.
“I’ve been in tournaments with Cassius Baloyi and Phillip Ndou‚ and I can say he’s the next big name from Limpopo.”
Baloyi and Ndou were the two biggest stars to emerge from the northern province‚ and Makhense‚ who comes from the same Malamulele area that produced Baloyi‚ is undefeated in five bouts‚ with three stoppages.
Bholo has six wins and seven losses. But Bholo is determined to shock the boxing fraternity even though he is taken as a mere opponent in this clash.
Bholo is also coming off a loss when he was stopped in seven rounds by Marios Matamba of Cape Town in East London this past April.
The loss was his second in a row after getting stopped by Michael Mokoena who parlayed that win with a shot at Lusanda Komanisi whom he also halted in four rounds.
Despite the odds stacked against him the Mcotsho-born heavy-handed boxer is confident of snapping his losing streak against a boxer taken as the next big star.
“I am not worried at all by the prospect of facing Makhense,” said Bholo.
“I see that he is seen as a big thing but he has not faced a boxer of my experience. He may take me lightly because of my fight record but I am capable for that.”
Bholo is still bitter at the manner he lost to Matamba when the fight was stopped without being counted for after being dropped.
“I was not happy at all by the conduct of the referee but it is no use crying over it now. I need to pick myself up and soldier on by beating this Makhense guy.”
Bholo ended the career of Mdantsane favourite Vusumzi Bokolo when he blitzed him with a knockout in a knockdem-down, drag-dem-out slugfest when he also hit the deck. He is hoping that a win on Sunday will lead to a challenge against the reigning SA juniorwelterweight champion and EL-based Xolani Mcotheli.
I can say Jabulani Makhense will be the next big name from Limpopo