THE sport of boxing has benefited from the bitter-sweet clash of two big boxing tournaments, one at Nasrec Arena and the other at Emperors Palace, tomorrow night.
Boxing has been a talking point, even for die-hard soccer fans who are waiting with bated breath for Bafana Bafana’s clash against Egypt in an Africa Cup of Nations qualifier at Ellis Park on the same evening.
Therefore, all fighters who will be in action in the Branco Sports Production and Golden Gloves Promotions bills must take advantage of this unparalleled publicity.
The only losers will be journalists who will find it tough to choose which event to attend.
At Nasrec near Soweto, Takalani Ndlovu gets the chance to climb out of boxing obscurity and make a name for himself against the great Canadian two-time IBF junior featherweight champion, Steve Molitor.
It could be the last chance for the Sowetan, who has twice failed to dethrone his Canadian foe, to prove that he is still one of the elite fighters in the sport.
In the same tournament dubbed African Glory 2, Moruti Mthalane will be looking for nothing less than a great display to successfully defend his IBF flyweight belt and extend Johnriel Casimero’s losing streak to two.
The former WBO junior flyweight champion from the Philippines was hand-picked for Mthalane’s voluntary defence.
Patrick Malinga, meanwhile, is prepared to give Thompson Mokwana the chance to show his mettle, but the reigning South African lightweight champion is not intimidated because he has been in the ring with some of the best and prevailed.
The two IBF championships will be televised live on Blow by Blow from 9pm.
There will be three undercard fights and the action will begin at 7.30pm.
At Emperors Palace near the OR Tambo International Airport, prospects Flo Simba, Isaac Chilemba and Thomas Oosthuizen will seek to give direction to their careers.
Simba will oppose Brazilian Ariel Do Rocio Machado for the vacant IBO Youth heavyweight title, while Chilemba will attempt to regain the WBC International light heavyweight title against Namibian Vikapita Meroro.
Oosthuizen gets a second chance to win the IBO super middleweight belt when he fights Colombian Evert Bravo.
On the same bill, labelled Explosion, Sipho Taliwe will defend the WBC International junior lightweight strap against Filipino Vinvin Ruffino.
SuperSport will beam all these bouts live from 8pm.
