‘Mbelu won’t disappoint’

Referee the centre of attraction in the Fuzile-Klassen bout

Clifford Mbelu will make the IBF happy with his conduct as a referee of that organisation’s Continental Africa junior lightweight shoot-out between holder Azinga Fuzile and Malcolm Klassen at Orient Theatre in East London on Sunday, says WBF president Howard Goldberg.

Goldberg is a former top referee and judge from Cape Town. It was his organisation that gave Mbelu from the Western Cape his big break – his first international assignment in Columbia three years ago – and the Eastern Cape-born, softspoken official has never looked back

“Clifford is a good, solid and confident referee. He is currently one of the best ring officials in the country, and I know for sure that he will do a good job on Sunday,” said Goldberg yesterday.

“He has officiated in most of our fights locally and internationally. He’s never disappointed us or disgraced himself.”

Mbelu’s conduct earned him the nomination for 2017 Boxing SA’s male ring official of the year award but lost out to worldrenowned Capetonian referee and judge Deon Dwarte, who has been involved in highprofile boxing matches around the globe.

The three judges for the Fuzile-Klassen clash are also prominent veterans – 2017 BSA female official of the year Sylvia Mokaila from Mahikeng, welltravelled East Rand-based Sazi Xamlashe, and Patrick Mukondiwa from Harare in Zimbabwe.