A BOXING show just for the pundits as Fox Sports Africa Boxing lived up to their promise and brings an array of heavyweight to the ring.
The final boxing event for 2018 will be staged at the Sun Sibaya Casino and Entertainment Centre on November 23.
Apart from the two World Boxing Association (WBA) Pan Africa title fights, a seven-fight bill will also feature African and South Africa’s best in the heavyweight rankings.
Paul Mangxilana from the Hunter Gymnasium in the South will take his shot at Kutlwano Ogaketse from Botswana in an international lightweight contest over six rounds. The former boxing legend from the South, Lionel Hunter, will be in his corner when he will try to enhance his record. He has won five, lost four and drew five bouts while Ogaketse has a beginners record of three wins, one loss and one draw.
John Bopapa from the South will take on Anthony Jarmann from Namibia in an international super-welterweight bout over an eight-rounder. Bopape’s record reads five wins, five losses while the Namibian has won 15, lost two, and had one draw.
South Africa’s Ayanda Nkosi, the champion from Johannesburg, who has won 10 and lost one in 11 professional fights, will put his WBA Pan African crown on the line when he takes on Botswana’s exciting and impressive Steven Bagwasi, who has won all five of his professional fights, over 12 rounds.
Then Akani Phuzi from Johannesburg, unbeaten in six professional outings and the current WBA Pan African cruiserweight titleholder, will defend his crown against Nigeria’s Afinni Abiodun over 12 rounds.
The big Nigerian has a fight record of six wins and a draw and will arrive in Durban with a reputation of being a big puncher.
But so is Phuzi, who demolished Youssouf Kasongo Mwanza of the Democratic Republic of Congo on September 2 in Randburg.
The last time Africa Boxing was in Durban there was a huge hype around Marc Subramoney, a Chatsworth heavyweight who pulled out at the last minute because of an injury sustained during sparring.
Even though the heavyweight fight was scrapped for that tournament at Sun Sibaya, a huge crowd attended the tournament. Fox Sports Africa Boxing made a promise to the fight fans that they would return with a heavyweight fight later in the year.
“We promised our fight fans that we would source two credible heavyweights and this long search has resulted in us finding Wilhelm Nebe, a local fighter, and Gilson Jeputers of Malawi. Both will be making their debuts,” said Barry Lambert, senior advisor for Fox Sports Africa.
Lambert added that it’s the first time since their first Africa Boxing tournament in Nairobi, Kenya, more than 18 months ago that there will be seven fights on the bill.
Photo: Annette van Schalkwyk
“We would normally have five or at the most six fights per tournament but this being the final one of the year we’ve decided to give the local fight fans something to remember, especially over the festive period,” he said.
Tickets for the tournament at Sun Sibaya Casino and Entertainment Centre are available via Computicket.
The bout bill is:
International welterweight, four rounds: Kiabua Mafisi vs Kagiso Bagwasi
WBA Pan African lightweight title, 12 rounds: Ayanda Nkosi, vs Steven Bagwasi
International lightweight, six rounds: Paul Mangxilana vs Kutlwano Ogaketse
International featherweight, four rounds: Rirothe Randima vs Moabi Ngaka
International super –welterweight, eight rounds: Anthony Jarmann vs John Bopape
WBA Pan African Cruiserweight title, 12 rounds: Akani Phuzi vs Afinni Abiodun
International heavyweight, four rounds: Wilhelm Nebe vs Gilson Jeputers
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