Fight a first for Transkei

Title bouts are usually this side of Kei

HISTORY will be made when the other side of the Kei River – the former Transkei homeland – in the Eastern Cape hosts the South African title fight for the first time this coming weekend.

Most SA title fights that were held in the Eastern Cape have been staged at the Mdantsane Indoor Sports Centre, a part of the former Ciskei homeland.

However, that is set to change on Saturday as SA welterweight female champion Rita Mrwebi defends her crown against Shayvonne Pattison at the Walter Sisulu University campus in Butterworth, a part of the former Transkei homeland.

Mrwebi will be making her first defence of the title she won when she outpointed Pattison in August last year. In fact, Mrwebi has won the two clashes she fought against Pattison since their first meeting in November 30 2010.

It’s going to be more like a homecoming for Johannesburg-based Mrwebi when she fights in Butterworth as her hometown, Mthatha, is just 116km away.

Meanwhile, Masande Kakaza and Thembelani Chithani will fight for the vacant Eastern Cape junior-welterweight title in the main supporting bout.

This is the third time that the two boxers square up against each other with each winning once.

Kakaza stopped Chithani in the sixth round the last time they met in East London. The loss proved costly for Chithani as it robbed him of a chance to challenge for the SA junior-welterweight.

Boxing South Africa refused to sanction Chithani’s challenge because of the loss.

Instead, Chithani’s stablemate Mzukisi Mgidi challenged Mzolisi Yoyo on Saturday, but lost by a fourth-round stoppage.

This Saturday’s tournament is going to be promoted by Prince Ntsika Sigcawu’s Isizwe Promotions in conjunction with the Amathole District Municipality.