The Gentleman in title defence

BARELY a fortnight after being reinstated as the South African lightheavyweight champion, Tshepang “The Gentleman” Mohale has signed to defend against Johnny Muller at Emperors Palace on August 31, the champion confirmed yesterday.

“Golden Gloves contacted my trainer [Warren Hulley] and offered us the fight against Muller,” explained Mohale, who won the title from Muller when he stopped him in three rounds at the Palace of Dreams, near OR Tambo International Airport, two years ago.

‘‘ I’m happy to be able to defend my title,” said the softspoken champion about his first defence.

‘‘ I can tell you now that I will retain it. The man that I am gunning for is Ryno Liebenberg.”

Liebenberg stopped Mohale over six rounds on August 29 2011.

But Mohale still insists that he should not have fought on the night because of a severe injury to his knee.

‘‘ I could not even jog for that fight. That is how bad my knee was. I fought simply because Golden Gloves had already made all the necessary arrangements,” said the lanky fighter who went under the knife immediately after that defeat.

Mohale made a name for himself in the fistic sport in 2009 by winning the South African super middleweight belt from highly rated former Athens 2004 Olympian Khotso Motau.

Surprisingly, he was stopped in seven rounds by unknown Matty Clarkson on March 2.

Mohale has not fought since that defeat, which was his fifth stoppage in six losses.

One thing is certain about this fighter – he can hit very hard and that is confirmed by his knockout ratio of eight in nine wins.

On the other hand, Muller has also had his ups and downs in the ring.

The “Hurricane” won two fights after losing to Mohale but was stopped in nine rounds by Liebenberg for the IBO All Africa title.

Muller has 13 wins (10 KOs) against three losses and two draws.